Brian Binley £57,000 expenses

Direct copy form the mirror

Nuff said

A tory Mp claimed £57,000 in taxpayer-funded expenses to rent a flat from his own company.

Brian Binley raked in £1,500 a month to rent the flat in Central London for more than three years despite House of Commons rules banning MPs from renting properties from themselves or their firms.

The Northampton South MP, 67, was first told the expenses were not allowed in April 2006. But he was allowed to continue claiming until April this year after making an appeal to Speaker Michael Martin, it was claimed.

Meanwhile, Labour's Jim Devine was barred by the party from standing at the next election amid the expenses storm.

The MP for Livingston, West Lothian, is said to have claimed for £2,100 home repairs on a fake receipt and £2,300 for shelving done by a pub landlord. He denied wrongdoing.

Radio switch off

In about 2015 anologue (am and fm) radio will be turned off, in favour of an all digital radio.

Thats 5 years to ensure a good proportion of national coverage ( i think they are saying 90%).

5 years to get all the radios changed - watch the electronics junk mountain grow.

5 years to get car radios updated - so that digital will even work in them (too much movement of the reciever leads to poor reception and resolution in poor signal areas)

Transmitter numbers will need to be increased to increase coverage.

Who gets to pay for this- who do you think.

Will it be done in time - what do you think (analogue tv's about to be turned off, and there's still a boat load of numties who don't know what a set top box is)

Still Gov'll be able to sell lots of shiny licenses to small 'community and local' stations - who do you think'll get that money?

Tax on telephones

Here we go - yet another crappy gov idea that everyone else has to pay for whether they want it or not.

The premise - get superfast broadband into everyone's homes by year x.

Get everyone else to pay for it - £6 per year to subsidise - prob won't cover the full costs, and those in urban / suburban areas will be subsidising those in rural areas.

Most older people aren't interested anyway.

For crying out load, just leave the market places alone, and let them decide for themselves, stop interfering, we don't want it.

Hazel Blears is sorry!

Bless

Hazel regrets doing what she did on the eve of the european elections, and denies that it was meant to inflict maximal damage on Gordy. She says it wasn't a plot to to get rid of the pm, and wants to get back to helping the labour party connect with the British people.

No, someone who make a decision to resign on the eve of an election, who wears a brooch with the words "Rocking the boat", and makes a speech commenting on Gordies youtube appearence, with the the title "YouTube if you want to", is not one of Gordies fans.

But to then say she didn't mean it, she apologised, it was regrettable that she caused such a firestorm, might be seen by some as an act of genuine contrition.

Until you see that the government didn't collapse (as a cynic might have thought she thought it would), that her constituency is looking at ways to remove her, that Gordie wants her back, and that he had written 'a really nice letter following her resignation'.

Others might see that as out and out hypocrisy.

Shahid Malik - still

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/jun/11/shahis-malik-expenses-admission

After just yesterday posting about the re instatement of Mr Malik the fishy smell grows.

Hes been claiming for 2 offices in two homes, when he may have had only one, or two, with living area, or one with living area, or just living area - AAAAAARGGGGGH!

C'mon Gordy - are you really that stupid to re instate this crook (strong language from me I know), or has he got something on you, or perhaps he's vowed to be a crony.

Just in case it gets lost, here's the full text of th article from the Guardian

Shahid Malik has admitted that he claimed costs of office space in his constituency home as well as his designated second home simultaneously, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The admission comes within days of the MP for Dewsbury being reinstated in government by Gordon Brown as part of his reshuffle.

The prime minister brought Malik back to the fold as communities minister just weeks after he stepped down as justice minister in the wake of reports in the Telegraph that he was paying well below the market rate for the rent of his home in his constituency.

Brown made the appointment after receiving assurances from Malik that his financial affairs were in order.

But it emerged yesterday that Malik had claimed more than £6,500 for a property described as "office 2" on his parliamentary claim form, which has turned out to be the ground floor of his constituency home in Dewsbury.

Malik said he needed the extra office space because the constituency office he inherited was not big enough. But his expense files show he moved out of the original office into a new office in April 2006 but continued to claim £200 a month on his office allowance for "office 2" until at least April 2008, according to the newspaper.

Malik insisted last night that he paid rent separately for the "living area" of his consituency home. However, no formal rental agreement existed for the "living area" and Malik did not disclose how much rent he paid.

The Telegraph said he confirmed his controversial "two homes on expenses"arrangements last night.

Brown's official spokesman made clear it was up to Malik to explain his use of public money.

Malik reportedly told the Telegraph that he had rented the office space because the office he inherited from his predecessor as Dewsbury MP, Ann Taylor, had been too small, he said. "I rented additional office space in my constituency because the office which I took over from my predecessor did not have enough room to accommodate my staff, who were working with me to serve the needs of my constituents.

"I worked from the additional office space between Thursday and Monday and during recess periods and a member of my staff was also based there until moving to the new offices in 2007."

Commons documents show that Malik left his predecessor's office in April 2006 and began claiming Commons office expenses on a new office, in a shopping parade on Daisy Hill.

Malik has claimed £6,000 a year for the rent on the office in Daisy Hill since then.

Both his constituency office and constituency home are owned by Tahir Zaman, a friend of Malik, according to the paper.

Malik stood down from government last month when it was reported that he was paying Zaman well below the market rate.

Brown brought him back into government after an investigation by Sir Philip Mawer, the prime minister's adviser on ministerial rules, cleared Marlik of any failure to comply with the ministerial code.

After initially resisting, Brown has agreed to publish an edited sumary of Mawer's report.

The prime minister's spokesman stressed that Mawer's investigation related to allegations of a breach of the ministerial code in relation to supposedly preferential rent offered to Malik on his Dewsbury home.

Questions relating to his expenses claims were for the MP himself to answer.

Asked whether the prime minister was confident that Malik had been completely frank with Sir Philip about the financial arrangements surrounding the Dewsbury property, Brown's spokesman said: "We would expect all government ministers to comply fully with the independent investigator and we have no reason to believe that's not the case with Shahid Malik."

The spokesman stressed that Mawer's investigation related to allegations of a breach of the ministerial code in relation to supposedly preferential rent offered to Malik on his Dewsbury home.

Questions relating to his expenses claims were for the MP himself to answer.

Transparency for everyone - Shahid too!

Shahid Malik has been cleared of any expense inproprieties, so it says in a report by Sir Phillip (must be good, has a Sir in the title).

In the new spirit of transparency we (the great unwashed non politicians) weren't to be allowed to see what it says because it contained personal details.

However, in the spirit of Gordon wanting to keep his job (for a while), he has bowed to public pressure, and a 'sanitised' version of the report will now be published.

Oh, and Mr Malik got his job back at the ministry (in the Dept of Communities and local justice instead of the Dept of Justice at least).

Now, is it just me, or does this smell a bit fishy? We are told that we can't see the report on a 'public' servant (if you don't want the publicity, don't go in for a job which by its very nature is in the public eye), and then we are told by a grovelling snivelling power clinging political leader in the last days of a corrupt government, 'oh all right then we can see a little bit of it, because we know whats best for you, and if we don't then you might get a bit shirty'

I'm sorry Gordy, the whole point of everything thats been happening over the last few weeks should have told you that we aren't standing for this hidden from public view nonsense any more - if we want to know about any aspect of a politicians life, if it concerns the performance of his duties or his remunuration for whatever reason, then the public - the paymaster - should have a right to know - if you don't want to confuse the two, then don't confuse the two. There should no issue ever of privacy for these sorts of reports (I agree the case is different for security reasons, but this clearly isn't), everything should be out in the open, published, and available to see, then we wouldn't need the guardian to do this necessary work.

source http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5494389/Gordon-Brown-forced-into-revealing-report-on-Shahid-Malik-finances.html

Lest we forget

Copied from Mirror.co.uk
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/05/29/expenses-row-three-mps-to-stand-down-but-taxpayers-will-foot-1-2m-bill-115875-21397425/

Expenses row: Three MPs to stand down... but taxpayers will foot £1.2m bill

By Bob Roberts and Jason Beattie29/05/2009

Three more MPs were forced to quit yesterday over the expenses scandal - but they will still rake in £100,000 each in taxpayers' cash in "golden goodbyes".

The three included brazen Tory Julie Kirkbride who finally bowed to public fury over her lavish claims.

It brings the number of MPs standing down to 12 - yet because they refuse to go now, they will still be taking our money until Gordon Brown goes to the country.

Incredibly, the cost to the taxpayer of parachute payments and winding-up schemes for the 12 could run to £1.2million. And that does not include their £64,766 pay... or expenses.

There was anger yesterday that not one has agreed to quit immediately.

One furious constituent in Ms Kirkbride's Bromsgrove seat said: "She should go right now. We have already shelled out more than enough on her."

Last night it was also revealed that record numbers of MPs have applied for peerages after the next election.

At least 52 Labour members - a seventh of those elected in 2005 - are said to have approached Downing Street to request a seat in the House of Lords.

Ms Kirkbride, 48, finally announced her decision to quit at 1.10pm yesterday following revelations that she spent £50,000 on a home extension. This came on top of her "double-dipping" with husband Andrew MacKay.

Just a minute earlier, Labour's Margaret Moran, 54, quit following the news she claimed £22,500 for dry rot at her partner's home in Southampton - 100 miles away from her constituency.

Conservative Christopher Fraser, who claimed more than £1,800 in expenses to mark out the boundary of his house, also announced he was stepping down.

And the Mirror can reveal Labour MP Elliot Morley will tell his constituency party this weekend he has had enough and will go at the next general election.

If the MPs stepped down now they would not be eligible for the parachute payment under Commons rules.

But by hanging on until the election, due within a year, Ms Moran gets a payoff of £93,125 when she goes. This includes a parachute payment of £50,517 and a "winding up" allowance of £42,608.

Ms Kirkbride will walk away with at least £74,000.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said it showed the need to reform the constitution to give people the right to sack their MP. He said: "If MPs feel they have done badly enough to stand down then people should have the right to sack them and not wait until the election."

In Ms Moran's Luton South constituency, pensioner Gilbert Green, 67, said: "She's not standing in Luton, especially now. She should stand down straight away. She can't show her face."

Joshua Clarke, 27, added: "Standing down is not enough. She needs to pay the money back at least, and maybe do community service."

Ms Moran blamed stress and health problems for her decision. She said: "The anger in the media and among the public over the issue of Parliamentary expenses has had a bruising effect upon my friends, my family and my health."

Ms Kirkbride's news followed days of insisting she would not go. Tory leader David Cameron had previously backed her but after a phone chat with him yesterday, she said: "I must take into account the effects on my family. I understand people's anger about MPs' expenses, but I have been subject to a barrage of distorted stories which I have sought to rebut. This pressure on my party workers and me has to end."

Piling the pressure on the MP was housewife and mum of four Louise Marnell, 43, who was so angry at Ms Kirkbride she launched a Julie To Go campaign and petition in Bromsgrove, West Mids. Four thousand signatures later, Louise said: "All you need to know is that I'm a normal housewife and my husband is a builder. I've never been involved in politics or anything like that. I'm too busy doing the things that mums do, trying to make ends meet."

A senior Labour source said he expected the resignations, which include Commons Speaker Michael Martin, to be only the start. The party expected Mr Morley, who claimed for a mortgage he had already paid off, to go. Others would follow when Labour's "star chamber" finished its probe. Officials from the Parliamentary Fees Office have spoken for the first time about how the scandal developed.

Speaking anonymously to the BBC, one source said there was a "tea room chain" at Westminster. When one MP remortgaged to get a higher claim the honourable member would tell pals and soon there would be "a gold rush" of others claiming the same thing.

Meanwhile Esther Rantzen, who had announced she would stand against Ms Moran, said she may still fight the seat if local people wanted her to.

And Barack Obama's former brotherin-law Ian Manners, 56, announced he will try to stand as a Tory candidate after disgraced Andrew MacKay steps down in Bracknell, Berks. Mr Manners said: "This is not a gimmick. I would do better than most of the current crop."

TOLL OF MPs FELLED IN EXPENSES SCANDAL
Douglas Hogg, Conservative
Claimed £2,115 to have his moat cleared. Also claimed for piano tuning and £671 for mole catcher.

Sir Peter Viggers, Conservative
Filed a £30,000 claim for a gardening bill including a duck island for his pond.

Anthony Steen, Conservative
Spent £87,729 in four years on upkeep of his "very large" mansion people are "jealous of".

Andrew Mackay, Conservative
Julie Kirkbride's husband. Claimed second home expenses but had no first home in his constituency.

Sir Nicholas Winterton Conservative
Husband of Ann. Together claimed £120,000 to rent a flat from a family trust.

Ann Winterton, Conservative
Wife of Nicholas. Together claimed £120,000 to rent a flat from a family trust.

Michael Martin, Speaker
To quit after MPs attacked him for trying to keep expenses secret. Claimed £1,400 for chauffeur.

Ben Chapman, Labour
Will step down after overclaimed £15,000 mortgage interest payments by mistake.

Ian McCartney, Labour
Leaving due to bad health. Has repaid almost £15,000 expenses including champagne flutes.

The scalps which were claimed
By Bob Roberts

The scalps which were claimed yesterday show how deep the expenses scandal is cutting.

Previously, those who had gone had been Westminster's old guard. The fusty, old-fashioned Tory squires Sir Peter Viggers, Anthony Steen and Douglas Hogg announced they were quitting when few of them would have been expected to carry on for long anyway.

From Labour, Elliot Morley is facing possible deselection and David Chaytor has been suspended. Even if they stay in Westminster they will be in the shady obscurity of the backbenches. But Julie Kirkbride and Margaret Moran are not the semi-retired wing of either the Conservative or Labour parties.

They are both modern women who came to Parliament in 1997 after having successful careers outside.

Kirkbride, 48, was a feisty daughter of a truck driver who became a Daily Telegraph political journalist and then an MP.

She could have expected a ministerial post in a David Cameron government.

Margaret Moran, 54, a former Catholic schoolgirl, had been the leader of Lewisham Council in London before becoming an MP. As a leading campaigner against domestic violence and child abuse, few would have thought her career was finished until three weeks ago.

But their falls shows no one is safe as the axe in the expenses scandal keeps swinging and public anger shows no sign of easing.

The question now is: who is next?

And the MPs are trembling in the tearooms - because no one knows the answer.