Have the Tories lost the moral high ground?
Fraser Nelson 6:28pm
This Derek Conway expenses scam is one of the most outrageous I’ve heard in some time. He bunged his son £1,000-a-month of taxpayers’ money on the basis that he was doing research. And as the Standards and Privileges Committee said, there was zero independent evidence of any work done – or any commissioned. A total of £40,000 of our money beefed up the Conway family finances as young Freddie Conway studied full-time at Newcastle University doing his “research”. His stash included “four one-off bonuses” (wonderful oxymoron) totalling £10,000 and he’s been ordered to repay £13,200. Now, this isn’t the same as £103,000 of Peter Hain’s undeclared donations. But something tells me the general public will conclude that that all MPs are on the take. Conway’s punishment will likely be a 10-day suspension, but the Tory Party’s punishment is that they'll find it very hard to take the moral high ground while criticising Labour.
P.S. This as a result of an investigation last May by Robert Winnett, now of the Daily Telegraph, who listed other MPs who employ family members. But like IDS and Betsy, they did so within the rules.
The highlights from the Committee’s report…
--- “There is conclusive evidence that Mr Conway authorised the payment of bonuses to FC that went way beyond the permitted ceiling… throughout the period of FC's employment.
--- “He also seemed to be oblivious to the broader reputational risks to the House of any perception of personal benefit to his family”
--- “This arrangement was, at the least, an improper use of Parliamentary allowances: at worst it was a serious diversion of public funds.”
A “diversion” of public funds is polite way of saying something our lawyers would not let me repeat here. Howard Flight had the whip withdrawn for a far smaller offence. If Cameron does take a harder line than Brown on such behaviour, he had best show us soon.
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A J Scott
January 28th, 2008 8:29pm Report this commentIf this is correct, Cameron should at once apply the stun gun and get rid if this stupid man. How is it possible that such idiots can be MPs? (alright, no need to answer that one).
A J Scott
January 28th, 2008 8:30pm Report this commentIf this is correct, Cameron should at once apply the stun gun and get rid if this stupid man. How is it possible that such idiots can be MPs? (alright, no need to answer that one).
Tim Hardingham
January 28th, 2008 9:18pm Report this commentWith this son, another son and his wife in our "employ" he looks to be straight out of a traditional tory mould, on the make and on the take.
mike
January 28th, 2008 10:08pm Report this commentFolk forgot why we chucked this greedy crowd out of office ten years ago. But a few more bits like this and they'll remember how it was. Maggie out !
Richard Jenkins
January 28th, 2008 10:21pm Report this commentThe only way that Cameron can even hope to avoid losing the moral high ground is to display decisiveness so lacking in Brown - withdraw the whip and press the constituency party to deselect. And do it today. By the way, the Howard Flight "offence" was in no way comparable. That was about an off message quote, for heaven's sake. This is about the abuse of public funds. Why is it not a police matter?
David
January 28th, 2008 10:45pm Report this commentIs it feasible for Cameron to remove the whip from Mr Conway?
Diablo
January 28th, 2008 10:46pm Report this commentI am afraid there is no question: David Cameron has to axe Conway immediately. No ifs, no buts!
Roy
January 29th, 2008 7:29am Report this commentWhether or not David Cameron gets rid of anyone here now or never is beyond the bigger fundamentals. If the Conservatives are really serious about getting into power at the next election they have to do very little. But they have to convey to the people in solid down to earth language that they will bring back British traditional teachings into all schools. That they will uncompromisingly revisit all immigration laws and policy. Nothing less than this will bring out the voter on the day that matters. Nothing less will turn the electorate into a right wing swing never before seen or envisaged.
steve
January 29th, 2008 8:23am Report this commentYep Cameron has got to be brutal. Conway has been way, way out of order on this and has effectively been caught embezzling public money. If the tories are to turn this into a (relatively)good news story. Then Conway has got be booted out of the party WIE
James Allen
January 29th, 2008 9:31am Report this commentDoes someone want to tell cameron to hurry up and sack conway, or at least to remove the whip pending investigation? Given attacks on Brown, needs to be decisive himself...
Alex R
January 29th, 2008 9:44am Report this commentJust imagine how bad this would have been for the tories had David Davis won. DD would have probably have made Conway his chief whip and would now have had to resign.
And Another Thing
January 29th, 2008 9:55am Report this commentConway & Son's Sounds like a removal firm. Cameron should remove him now
Max Kaye
January 29th, 2008 10:35am Report this commentcameron should cut him loose and let him sink. Now. (No dithering please - leave that to Brown).
Dave Burns
January 29th, 2008 11:12am Report this commentSomeone can do 17 hours a week research for three years and his boss cannot produce a single page of paper or any electronic document to justify this!! Some of the work was so good that he was given a bonus but there is no record of it. And MPs have just increased their staffing allowance by £10k (11.45%) - I wonder why! Cherie is giving Tony an earful about Leo being shortchanged.
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