Expenses
Nadine Dorries says Ipsa is ‘asleep on the bloody job’, but MPs’ pay and expenses will cause even more grief this year
Nadine Dorries has vowed to ‘go after’ Ipsa today after the watchdog announced her expenses were under investigation. There will clearly be more to come on this, but the claims… Continue reading
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Why is Adam Afriyie being touted for leader? Expenses.
The Adam Afriyie leadership stories this Sunday confirmed several things. First, there’ll be no shortage of candidates when David Cameron goes. A large tranche of backbenchers have become increasingly irritated… Continue reading
36 Comments
Downing Street’s Maria Miller dilemma
There was a time during the Leveson Inquiry when Jeremy Hunt’s departure from the government was treated as almost inevitable by the media, including yours truly. But Number 10 backed… Continue reading
19 Comments
Downing Street defends Maria Miller’s special adviser
Downing Street has defended Maria Miller’s special adviser over the way she warned the Telegraph about the Culture Secretary’s connection to Leveson as it prepared a story on her expenses.… Continue reading
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Maria Miller’s adviser reminds us why politicians can’t be trusted with press regulation
An email from an Asian friend last night pointed me to a piece in the Telegraph saying: ‘This is the kind of thing they do in Singapore! I’m amazed it’s… Continue reading
40 Comments
Maria Miller’s Leveson threat
Journalists don’t normally reveal their conversations with special advisers to ministers, no matter how grumpy they are about a forthcoming story. So it is significant that the Telegraph has chosen… Continue reading
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Margaret Moran: an MP too depressed for prison
Are you happy that the former Labour MP Margaret Moran, who swindled more than £50,000 from the taxpayer in rogue expenses, will escape a custodial sentence because she is ‘depressed’?… Continue reading
90 Comments
UKIP are being taken more seriously but they have got to cut out the unforced errors
With UKIP regularly challenging the Liberal Democrats for third place in the polls, the party is now beginning to be treated with the seriousness it deserves. In an interview on… Continue reading
104 Comments
Denis MacShane’s defiant resignation statement
After being told he faced a year’s suspension from the House of Commons and immediate suspension from the Labour party, Denis MacShane has announced that he is stepping down as… Continue reading
Denis MacShane’s career with Labour is over as he faces suspension over expenses claims
The Committee on Standards and Privileges has recommended this morning that Denis MacShane be suspended as an MP for 12 months after he submitted 19 false expenses invoices worth £12,900… Continue reading
43 Comments
The expenses scandal’s next chapter?
The Daily Telegraph is the paper that broke the expenses scandal and its splash tomorrow threatens to become the latest chapter in this sorry saga. Holly Watt reports that ‘at… Continue reading
20 Comments
Your guide to the Warsi allegations
What is Baroness Warsi accused of? The main allegation in yesterday’s Sunday Times is that, in early 2008, Warsi was ‘claiming parliamentary expenses for overnight accommodation when she was staying… Continue reading
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The expenses spotlight falls on Baroness Warsi
If David Cameron had a list of headlines he doesn’t want to see, I’m sure ‘Top Tory in expenses scandal’ would be near the top of it. Yet that’s what… Continue reading
45 CommentsEric Illsley announces his resignation
With the Labour party motioning to unseat him, and David Cameron and Ed Miliband speaking out against him, it was always likely to end thus for Eric Illsley. The receipt… Continue reading
20 CommentsCameron tries to reassure colleagues on expenses
David Cameron has this evening told the 1922 Committee that IPSA will have to change by April 1st next year or be changed. He told the ’22 that he understood… Continue reading
14 CommentsThe battle over IPSA enters a new phase
MPs have never really got along with the new expenses body, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. But now their mood towards it seems to have become even frostier. I imagine… Continue reading
18 CommentsDavid Laws: A Problem of Folly, Not Corruption
So, yes, as several commenters pointed out, the timing of this post about David Laws proved unfortunate. James and Fraser have said much of all that needs to be said… Continue reading
3 CommentsThe latest expenses battle
IPSA, IPSA, IPSA. If there’s one thing exercising MPs across all parties at the moment, then it’s the new expenses regime in the Commons: the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. I… Continue reading
21 CommentsWe should judge Bercow at the end of this Parliament
Well, the news that Sir Menzies Campbell is lobbying to be made Speaker – as revealed by Iain Dale last night – certainly adds a dash of spice to proceedings. … Continue reading
32 CommentsA day to damage Brown?
Contain yourselves, CoffeeHousers. I know that we’re all really excited about today’s Parliamentary vote on an alternative vote referendum (it is, after all, something our Prime Minister has described as… Continue reading
36 Comments