Brown's dirty deal on the expenses vote
James Forsyth 12:12pmThe vote on Thursday night not to fix the broken system of MP’s expenses was a disgrace; it was the kind of behaviour that brings politics into disrepute. It was mostly Labour MPs who blocked this change with 33 ministers and Brown’s bag carriers voting for the wrecking amendment despite the Prime Minister himself suggesting that he backed reform. Today, Peter Oborne goes some way to explaining how this happened:
The key to understanding [Brown’s] position is the fact that Thursday's vote on expenses followed an earlier one which involved the equally controversial issue of MPs' pay.
Facing a backbench revolt from Labour MPs who were furious at what they saw as an insulting increase in their £61,000 salary, the Prime Minister was forced to concede them a free vote on the expenses issue in return for accepting the deal on pay.
Brown knew that defeat on this vital question would have been even more embarrassing and have had a catastrophic impact on the entire government economic policy of trying to keep a tight lid on public service pay awards.
In other words, Labour MPs were told that in return to agreeing to a very small rise in their official salary, they were free to carry on fiddling their expenses.This shabby compromise proved acceptable to the rebels, and Gordon Brown's public sector wages negotiations remain on course. But I fear that he will pay a heavy long-term cost for such low and debased politics.
As Peter argues, this deal gives Cameron a real opportunity to draw clear dividing lines between the Tories and Labour on the issue. The Tories should commit to radical reforms designed to bring true transparency into the system.
PS Apologies for comments not appearing and the lack of photos at the moment, we’re suffering from an infuriating set of technical problems—apparently, the alternative data centre has blown up. I’ll let you know as soon as the techs give us a time frame for when all this will be fixed. Apologies again and thanks for bearing with us.
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Comments
Disraeli's Ghost
July 5th, 2008 1:02pmHow can the Tories draw dividing lines when so many of their own are getting caught up in these problems?
Frank Pulley
July 5th, 2008 1:10pmI've warned you before - positively vet your techies. You have a Guardian reader in there somewhere.
Btw check out Oborne while you are it, given his 'pamphlet' in the DM yesterday and his forthcoming Channel 4 treachery.
John
July 5th, 2008 1:35pmAnd said bag carriers have the impertinence to accuse the Tories of being 'toffs', when unspeakable creatures like Shaun Woodward are ZanuLabour lackeys.
Anan
July 5th, 2008 2:15pmLol nice one Frank!
The Guardian-gestapo have infiltrators everywhere!
Michael Huntsman
July 5th, 2008 3:03pmI have made it 39 members of the government plus 30 PPSs (including Brown's own) out of 146 Labour 'Ayes'. That is almost 50% of the vote by the 'payroll'.
See my annotated list @ http://tinyurl.com/56vjar which I X-referenced against Parliament's own lists of Ministers & PPSs
The Huntsman @ http://thehuntsman2007.blogspot.com
oldtimer
July 5th, 2008 3:17pmI have read that Labour have done this sort of deal with its MPs before, namely vote for a low % pay increase and make up for it on the expenses. The difference is that on the previous occasion no one noticed.
Chuck Unsworth
July 5th, 2008 6:55pmHas the alternative data centre been attacked by Alky Ada, or something? I think someone should tell that nice Jacqui Smith. She'll get on to it straight away...
Athesius the Facilitator
July 5th, 2008 7:10pmPeter Oborne's opinions are quite intriguing. He will backnacker himself if doesn't jump of the fence. He keeps bringing up items about Brown that are adverse to Browns position and yet keeps telling us that the PM is a good and honest man. I have been reading Oborne for the last ten years and always believed that he got things about right. But for goodness sake, Brown is a ruthless nasty power crazy nutter who would destroy anybody politically if he got the chance. And anyway he reneged on an EU referendum which is unforgivable. Brown a decent person, do behave Peter.
A Hack
July 6th, 2008 12:26amOborne - and the Mail in general - is stretched in two directions by editor Dacre. He's a personal mate of Brown's (and was appointed by Brown to look at relaxing the 30 year over Government papers) and is really taking a risk with his readership by soft pedalling on Brown.
Add to this is his predictable middle-class insecurity over the 'Eton set' including Johnson and Cameron.
Dacre's plan seems to be to build up Brown as an honourable man who towers over Blair, but was unlucky in becoming PM when he did.
But he'll probably be wearing a gong and in retirement before he is forced to back Cameron in May 2010...
Ann
July 6th, 2008 10:11amWell, Oborne also thinks that the British public are vicious prejudicial 'Islamophobes'. For a nutter like that to regard McPinnochio as anything but a lying crook is but a small step.
colin
July 7th, 2008 8:51amdo we need kitchen knives with points to chop vegetables? possibly a ban on points for such knives would hinder stabbists while not harming cooks