Political blog, May 15: MPs paying the price
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It was no
surprise to witness the audience hostility to the panel on
BBC Question TIme last night - the politicians
probably should have gone on with protective bullet proof vests,
given the lynch mob atmosphere and were probably expecting
it.
Even so, I'm still perplexed by the defensive tone of some MPs
about the on-going furore over some of their claims and the
allegations that a fair few have been abusing the system.
The saga has taken a new twist today with the start of a
campaign to bring the most serious alleged offenders to justice,
either through criminal or private prosecutions - a process that
I'm guessing could be fraught with legal difficulties.
Interestingly, one Kent Labour MP has backed the idea that where
there is any suggestion of wrong-doing that amounts to more than a
simple misunderstanding, then the police should be involved.
Dr Steve Ladyman says MPs should not be above the
law - a sentiment many will agree with.
You can read his views here.
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Anyone interested in the background to the long-running saga
over MPs expenses should read an
excellent piece in The Guardian today by the
Freedom of Information campaigner Heather Brooke.
Without her tenacity and resourcesfulness, it is extremely unlikely
that the details about moats, horse manure and flipping second
homes this week would have emerged.
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Meanwhile, I gather that Labour MPs who have been encouraged by
party chiefs to publish all their details before formal publication
- scheduled for July - are holding back after being told
by the Commons' authorities that there may be legal issues
relating to the data. It's not entirely clear what they are.
Derek Wyatt tells me he has put his latest
monthly allowances claims on his website but when I checked,
the
website says the page is being up-dated.
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While there is some suggestion that the scandal over allowances
may benefit the minority parties at the European elections, I can't
see the same impact on the county council
elections.
Both the Green Party and UKIP
are fielding candidates across parts of the county, as is a party
called the English Democrats, but notwithstanding
the public disillusion with mainstream politicians, I can't really
see any of them springing a surprise and capturing any seats.
But in this febrile atmosphere, who knows? The only real certainty
is that turnout will be even lower than most anticipated.
Still, for what is is worth, local
Conservatives are pretty upbeat about their
prospects. One tells me they could be on course to get 80 of
the 84 seats up for grabs.
*********************************
Douglas Hogg appears to be having second thoughts about whether
it was appropriate to claim to have his moat cleared on allowances.
After some confusion about the claim, he is now
conceding that the payment for the work is not "positively
excluded" from his allowances submissions.
That's a politician's answer if ever I heard one.
Friday, May 15 2009
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