Saturday 27 February 2010

Fraudsters' Parliament - 28

I received an electoral leaflet from an independent candidate in the forthcoming general election.
He is a candidate who was born in the constituency - now there's a novelty in the UK political system!
He also makes a number of pledges - (Yes..... I know they ALL do!) but check these out;-

'I will donate 10% of my parliamentary income to local charity for the duration of my term as a Member of Parliament for Ellesmere Port and Neston.

I will not employ any member of my family in the constituency office locally or at Westminster.

I will act solely in the public interest as specified within the seven principles of public life in spirit and compliance (Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty and Leadership).

I will not gain personal benefit or gifts in kind other than those which are intended to be passed over in their entirety to the benefit of the community with no gain to myself, family or friends.

I will provide regular and open access to the people I serve to make full use of  my services and to hold me to account by regular and confidential surgeries, public forums and by other electronic means to meet the needs of the people served.

I will uphold the principles of freedom of  information  and openness at all times and encourage others to scrutinise inappropriate activities of public concern.

I will protect and uphold the principles of the rule of law, respect for all people, valuing and protecting their human rights, property, freedom of expression and democracy'


Should these not apply to EVERY  MP in what is becoming known as this 'Fraudsters' Parliament'?
You know how cynical I am concerning politicians but this person is probably getting my vote in the next General Election. I do not believe that a parliament full of  'Independents' is the answer to the UK's problems in the long term but current MPs need to be given an unmistakeable lesson .......... and they need it now!

Check out the website;-

http://www.jonathanstarkey.co.uk/


How does this candidate compare to your local candidate. Let me know in the comments section of my blog.

Update:  28th February 2010

Received a reply to my email thanking this candidate for his leaflet...... within 24 hours! ...Yes I know I usually state that politicians don't listen! ...... let alone take the time to reply!!

Coming Soon!
As there appear to be no FURTHER disclosures re: MPs' expenses claims in the pipeline, I intend to upload some of the documentation I have sent/received re:  the MPs' expenses scandal. I will try to get the first 'instalment' uploaded by Friday! So, if you are interested in how a humble citizen can ask questions of the great and the good (spelled  'F..R..A..U..D..U..L..E..N..T') ... (or if you are just interested in what other people and/or institutions write to each other!) .. keep visiting this blog!

Have a great week!

Sunday 21 February 2010

Fraudsters' Parliament 27

The BBC programme 'On Expenses' is in BBC4 on Tuesday at 9.00p.m.
I wonder how many MPs will be choosing to watch it!.... Possibly only those expecting to be turfed out at the next disinfecting election .... that will be at least several hundred, then?

The Sunday Express have an article about the programme on their online edition at;

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/159550/MPs-to-relive-expenses-scandal-with-BBC-drama



On this paper's 'comment'  site a reader gave a link to a interesting account of the making of the programme including an  video interview with Tony Saint, the writer of 'On Expenses'.

This website is one of The University of Nottingham blog sites.

The link to the site is;-

http://electionblog2010.blogspot.com/2010/02/fiction-and-british-politics-test.html


I have to admit I preferred the earlier working title 'Bringing Down The House'.

Friday 19 February 2010

The Fraudsters' Parliament - 26

If you are looking for a timeline to help get an overview of the MPs' expenses scandal The Independent online has a suitable one at the following link;-

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mps-expenses-scandal-the-timeline-1888349.html

What is missing in this timeline, of course, is the many and various attempts by the MPs' in this Fraudsters' Parliament  to hide their fraudulent claims and the fact that these 'honourable members' were brought kicking and screaming into the full glare of public gaze through the efforts of Heather Brooke and the journalists of the Daily Telegraph!

P.S. Please don't forget to vote in the poll shown on the right hand column of this blog! Thanks!

Wednesday 17 February 2010

The Fraudsters' Parliament - 25

Someone asked me recently how annoyed I was over the widespread trousering of public monies by those in this Fraudsters' Parliament!
I replied that on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being 'Not at all concerned!' and 10 being 'Incandescent with anger!', I was at number 13........... 'On the cusp of  turning thermo-nuclear with rage!'

Then I discovered the following website:-

http://www.youve-been-cromwelled.org/

Now, while still being at number 13,  I can, at least chuckle about the responses that Ollie gives to some of those in this Fraudsters' Parliament who really have not grasped, even now, that the game is up!

Have a look at the website to lower your blood pressure! Read about the site and click on the responses from MPs and 'Ollie's responses! Pure magic!

Tuesday 16 February 2010

The Fraudsters' Parliament- 24

I had an email from the House of Commons Information Office earlier today following my question about the lack of information about Harriet Harman!
Doh! She did not have pay back any expenses because she is an Inner London MP and therefore not eligible for the claims made by MPs' outside of London.
One black mark against John for not realising this, but a merit point for the parliamentary information team for their speedy response which was well within the 10 day limit!

Might I suggest that this team take over overview of any future payments to MPs?....... those MPs who are still in post after the election, and still this side of prison bars when the full deployment of the Fraud Act 2006 has been made, that is!

I picked up on an interesting article in The Guardian re. MPs and their 'flipping' ('fraudulent  claiming on multiple houses' to we taxpaying citizen voters!)
It is about getting back the profit that has been made by MPs on the houses bought with my, and your, tax money!
Click on the link below to read the article;-

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/feb/16/mps-repay-profits-second-homes

Sunday 14 February 2010

The Fraudster's Parliament- 23

As promised (although rather late!), I have had a chance to have a look at the Legg Report witth special reference to the those on the committee responsible for its publication. I was able to find the references to any overpayments or repayments by these people....... with the exception of Harriet Harman, the Leader of the House! Perhaps, this is because her position as Leader of the House means she does not get any expenses! I shall enquire of the committee.

I searched the list of MPs several times but couldn't find any listing for Harriet Harman! Is she known by some other name? If you can help with the information, please let me know.(PLEASE SEE THE UPDATE BELOW!)

This is what I found;-

Rt Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker


'Mr Speaker was overpaid by £978.51 for mortgage interest in 2008-09.


Total repayment recommended: £978.51


Total repayments received since 1 April 2009: £978.51


Balance recommended to be repaid: £0.00'



Sir Stuart Bell MP

'Rt Hon Sir Stuart Bell MP


Middlesbrough


Sir Stuart has no issues.'


Rt Hon Harriet Harman MP, Leader of the House

(My note: I could find no listing but I will re-check)

(UPDATE: 16th February 2010 - I received this clarification from the Information Office at the House of Commons;-

'As an inner London MP, Ms Harman was not eligible to claim for ACA and so would not have featured in the review of ACA allowances by Sir Thomas Legg.')




Nick Harvey MP

'Mr Nicholas Harvey MP


North Devon


Mr Harvey has no issues.'



Rt Hon David Maclean MP

'Rt Hon David MacLean MP


Penrith & The Border


Mr MacLean has no issues.'


Rt Hon Sir George Young MP, Shadow Leader of the House

'Rt Hon Sir George Young Bt MP

North West Hampshire


Sir George was overpaid by a total of £104.48 for electricity costs for the period


April 2005 to September 2005.


Total repayment recommended: £769.50


Reduced on appeal by:£769.50'

Sunday 7 February 2010

The Fraudsters' Parliament - 22

This article was flagged on my blog. It was found on Cherwell Online which  is the independent student newspaper of Oxford University, England so can, of course, be considered to represent the point of view of the ordinary citizen in the street!

 It is rather different from the other articles I have seen in that it is rather understanding of the fraudulent practices of MPs of late. I couldn't resist leaving a comment! I wonder if it is published on their online newspaper?

The publication can be read at;

http://www.cherwell.org/content/9814

Saturday 6 February 2010

The Fraudsters' Parliament - 21

I have just read an interesting article in The Wall Street Journal re: the MPs' expenses scandal. You will find the article at the address below;-

http://blogs.wsj.com/iainmartin/2010/02/06/how-the-rotten-parliament-sold-our-birthright/



I couldn't help but make a comment in their comments section! I don't know if it will appear on their online edition! The web address of the comments section for this article can be accessed from the article or directly from the link below;-

http://blogs.wsj.com/iainmartin/2010/02/06/how-the-rotten-parliament-sold-our-birthright/tab/comments/#comment-2530

I have quite a busy day today. I don't have £40000 of public money to pay my lovely wife to do my admin, you see!  I am a simple taxpaying citizen voter and so don't accept bribes....Ooooop! ... donations from lobby groups! I aim to get  the details of the repayments claimed from the Member's Estimates Committee, as promised in my last post, this evening.
Now, ..... let's be fair..... that is  IF any of them have 'erroneously' overclaimed and pocketed my, and yours, tax revenues!

Friday 5 February 2010

The Fraudsters' Parliament- 20

Does it not strike anyone else as strange that the report by Legg covering the expenses scandal by the MPs' is listed as co-authored by;

'Review of past ACA payments: first report of session 2009-10 report, together with formal minutes


House of Commons papers 348 2009-10

Corporate Author: Great Britain Parliament House of Commons Members Estimate Committee

Author: John Bercow (Speaker, chairman of MEC), Sir Thomas Legg, Sir Paul Kennedy '
 
 and is published under the auspices of the:

Members Estimate Committee

The Members Estimate Committee has the same Members as the House of Commons Commission:

Rt Hon John Bercow MP, Speaker


Sir Stuart Bell MP


Rt Hon Harriet Harman MP, Leader of the House


Nick Harvey MP


Rt Hon David Maclean MP


Rt Hon Sir George Young MP, Shadow Leader of the House

I shall spend an interesting half hour tomorrow checking out how many members of this august body have overclaimed from taxpaying citizen voters' monies and hope to publish the details on this blog! If any of them have..... should they not have been relieved of their post on the committee?

I am no legal expert, but wonder why The Theft Act  has been deployed against the small number of 'minnows' announced today!

Could it possibly be that the deployment of Sections 2-4 of The Fraud Act 2006, which could have been written especially to deal with MPs' fraud, would have ensnared a much larger number of those 340 MPs named and shamed today?

The Fraudsters' Parliament - 19

Thanks to Angela who emailed  the following information to me re: the MPs expenses scandal with a link to the BBC online site so that you can register for an email of daily news;-


** MPs told to repay £1.1m expenses **


MPs have been told to repay £1.1m of second homes expenses claimed between 2004 and 2008 after an audit of claim




http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8496729.stm


If you want to download a copy of the Legg Report for yourself for viewing on your computer try this link which was provided by Commons information Office after my search through the house of commons website proved fruitless! :-

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmmemest.htm






Another link from Angela;

** BBC Daily E-mail **

Choose the news and sport headlines you want - when you want them, all

in one daily e-mail;-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/email

Tuesday 2 February 2010

The Fraudsters' Parliament 17

I have just picked up this story in The Yorshire Star in the feed to my blog!

I have been impressed how the local and regional newspapers have taken an interest in the MPs' expenses scandal. In many respects they can bring more pressure to bear on any local MP who has been pocketing public monies.
Check out the story about one of their local MPs by clicking on the link below;-

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/MP-challenges-demands-to-repay.6033487.jp#4890591

If you know of any other local or regional newspapers' views on the MPs' expenses scandal, please email me the link and I will put it on this blog.

My email address is:-

johnlbellblog@googlemail.com

Thanks!

Monday 1 February 2010

The Fraudsters' Parliament - 16

Had an email from the Sydney Morning Herald today!
They have agreed to me having a link on the blog so that readers can access any articles in that newspaper's online edition. I note that the latest parliamentary body tasked with overseeing MPs' expenses and remuneration claim to be comparing  the USA and Australian systems with the UK!.
This new link will to The Sydney Morning Herald will, at least, give any reader of my blog the chance to see how the fraudulent claims by MPs are reported in the Australian newspapers.

If  you are interested how the expenses scandal is being reported in an Australian newspaper, click on the link above and, when the online edition of the Sydney Morning Herald appears, type in MPs' expenses in the search box. keep visiting for the forthccoming updates on the MPs' expenses scandal which refuses to go away!

I hope to receive the OK from a leading US newspaper so that we can see how the scandal is being reported in US newspapers in the run up to the long awaited General Election.... hopeffully a 'disinfecting' General Election which sees the removal of all those in parliament and their cronies who have been involved in the fraudulent claiming of vast amounts of taxpayers' monies!