Some Tories are yet to repay their expenses
David Blackburn 4:34pm
Bad news for David Cameron in the Standard this afternoon – several Tories have not made expenses repayments that were agreed seven months ago. After yesterday’s success, the last thing Cameron needed was a question over the effectiveness of his Scrutiny Panel, established to go “beyond the letter of the rules”, which he deemed too lenient to placate public anger.
Bill Cash is the major culprit exposed by the Standard. He agreed to repay £15,000 for an unacceptable rent/mortgage arrangement, but Commons records disclose that he has only repaid the £429 he claimed on an antique desk.
Although the non-compliance of Tory MPs is a problem for Cameron, this isn’t merely a story of rapacious Tory MPs. At the Scrutiny Panel's behest, David Willetts repaid the £135 he claimed for changing a light bulb, but Sir Thomas Legg’s audit deemed that this claim was not in breach of parliamentary rules and deducted £135 from another bill Willetts owed. Once again, Legg’s ad hoc approach has worsened the situation; this saga of light bulbs and flower pots drags on and the public’s ire continues unabated.
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DavidDP
February 9th, 2010 4:43pm Report this comment"At the Scrutiny Panel's behest, David Willetts repaid the £135 he claimed for changing a light bulb, but Sir Thomas Legg’s audit deemed that this claim was not in breach of parliamentary rules and deducted £135 from another bill Willetts owed"
D'oh.
Jayu
February 9th, 2010 4:53pm Report this commentIs this just more muddled thinking from Dave and the gang?
Naomi Muse
February 9th, 2010 5:24pm Report this commentA tinsy bit premature, isn't it, this judgement?
Have they not got until 21st of this month to pay?
Any MP who has not paid or come to an arrangement for deduction from salary by that date would be rightly expelled from the house and named and shamed.
Vulture
February 9th, 2010 5:29pm Report this commentDon't they call Willetts 'two brains'?
Couldn't he have used one of them to change his own light bulb?
London Calling
February 9th, 2010 5:54pm Report this commentDavid Cameron’s pledge to the “smell test” sounds rather odious, who comes up with these silly words? … does this imply sniffing around like a doggy thingy, two wags for guilty and a roll over for innocent?
Also does Bill Cash’s middle name happen to be Cheque by any chance? And why does he have great difficulty in writing one?…
Transparency currently looks like Mr Sheen meets Mr Muscle, and the windows remain somewhat misty…
On a positive note…hmm…I’ll get back to you on that one ;)
Junius
February 10th, 2010 1:17pm Report this commentWhen did the Spectator become a Labour mouthpiece - I refuse on principle to support those who give succour to mine enemy
michael
February 10th, 2010 3:39pm Report this commentPAY-UP
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