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'.

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!

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!

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

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'

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

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!

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

The Fraudsters' Parliament -18

The Independent newspaper has published a timeline for the MPs' expenses which I find very useful.

The timeline can be found at the link below:

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

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!

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!

The Fraudsters' Parliament - 15

I have just checked the updates from the blogs I follow. Heather Brooke has finished her latest book  The Silent State which is due for publication in April of this year. Check out her updates on;-

http://www.yrtk.org/

I have pre-ordered a copy. It should make rather interesting reading during this election year! You can order through the YRTK website or from Amazon.

The Fraudsters' Parliament -14

I checked my email this morning. Someone had commented on my comment on the online edition of The Independent. The article was about another ......... yes......yet another....... MP who had been caught with his fingers in the till!

Someone had taken the time to comment on my comment! Thank you, 'maalliii', whoever and wherever you are, for taking the time to read and comment on my musings!

The article can be found at the link below. You will need to scroll down the list of comments below the article;-

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-mps-breach-of-rules-costs-him-16365000-1876407.html

There was an earlier article in the same newspaper where one reader came up with a fantastic tagline which, I would imagine, just about sums  up many taxpaying citizen voters' views at the moment;-

'Corruption runs through Westminster like the lettering in Blackpool rock!'

Nice one, notsonobleserf, whoever and wherever you are!

You can read this article and the comments made about it at:-

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/expenses-breach-mp-harry-cohen-to-forfeit-resettlement-grant-1875940.html

If you have time, feel free to comment on their article. You will need to signup first but the process is an easy one.

And, of course, feel free to comment on any post on this blog!

The Fraudsters' Parliament - 13

Friday 22nd  January 2009

I have just put down the telephone! A young and very earnest party worker is obviously phoning around the constituency  prior to the removal of large numbers of MPs in the next election.

Note: to local party managers of all the major political parties!

1). Whose idea was it to train your party activists to phone around at the end of a long working week....... on a Friday evening? ...... at 8:00p.m?

 Only in that Cloud Cuckoo Land that is this Fraudsters' Parliament would that seem a good way of contacting would-be electors!

2). Whose idea was it to then ask the important question :-

"And what do you think is the most important question in British Politics today?"

"It's funny you should ask me that........!" was my initial reply........followed by;

"My particular concern is, and has been since the Conway Case hit the headlines, the fact that something well in excess of fifty MPs in what has become known as 'This Fraudster's Parliament', have fallen foul of Sections 2-4 of The Fraud Act 2006!......... should be serving time in gaol of between 1 and 10 years......... fulfils several of the factors for prosecution outlined in the current Crown Prosecution Service Manual of Prosecution........... etc..... etc.... etc!"

(nervous silence from the other end of the phone.....!)

"Yes....!.   Yes!......." is the tentative response when I pause for breath! "The problem with expenses has been a concern!...."

"Problem with expenses!"  I interrupt, "Do you mean the wide-scale theft of public monies by those in this Fraudster's Parliament?!"

At which point I am asked,  "So you will not be voting in the next general election?"

"You misunderstand!" I immediately reply....."I will MOST certainly be voting! I am a taxpaying citizen voter of the UK!.......... I just won't be voting for anyone in the Labour or Conservative Parties! The jury is still out re: the Lib Dems..... Although it is safe to assume, at this stage, that I will be voting for an independent!"

At which point we wished each other mutual best wishes and hung up!

I am sitting here by the telephone,.... like a hungry cat next to a mouse hole..... waiting for a similar call from the other major parties!!!!!!      Watch this space!


COMPETITION TIME!

This is not really the 'best' picture to go with this article!! For one thing the cat does not have a beard!........ or spectacles..... and there is no sign of a mouse residence!!
If you would like to 'edit' the picture to include these features and email me your 'improved' version for the blog, I will replace the above picture with yours! If there is more than one entry (I have always been an optimistic person!) I will choose the best one and send off a copy of one of the books pictured on the site?
Blog Editor's decision will be final! (I've always wanted to write that!)
The competition closes at midnight (GMT) on Friday 29th January 2010.

This Fraudsters' Parliament -12

There is hope for the future of parliamentary democracy in the UK! I have just read an article in the Coventry Telegraph which reported on a 14 year old querying Estelle Morris on her expenses claims!

Surely I cannot be the only taxpaying citizen voter in the UK who wonders why a 14 year old citizen is asking such necessary questions when the parliamentary authorities charged with protecting us from fraudulent MPs appear to prefer to adopt the role of the traditional three wise monkeys;-

Hearing no talk of fraud by MPs!

Seeing no fraud by MPs!

Speaking of no fraud be MPS!


Check out the article yourself  by clicking on the link below;


http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/2010/01/18/baroness-estelle-morris-quizzed-over-expenses-by-coventry-kids-92746-25625883/2/#sitelife-commentsWidget-bottom


The young person concerned may well enter politics in the future! Let us hope that by then we, as taxpaying citizen voters, have taught ALL our politicians, irrespective of political party or seniority, that their role is to work for the benefit of the taxpaying citizen voters of this country and not for the benefit of their personal bank accounts. It will be a necessary lesson - long overdue!

I thought you would be interested in the 'Seven Principles of Public Life' which, believe it or not, applies to ALL MPs in this parliament. I found the text on the parliamentary standards website!!!


'THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC LIFE




SELFLESSNESS


Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.






INTEGRITY


Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.






OBJECTIVITY


In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.






ACCOUNTABILITY


Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.






OPENNESS


Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.






HONESTY


Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.






LEADERSHIP


Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.






These principles apply to all aspects of public life. The Committee(Standards -my note!) has set them out here for the benefit of all who serve the public in any way.'

My question is:

Has anyone told MPs about these principles? Can any of those MPs now claim that their fiddles, scams and frauds were 'within the rules'?

Feel free to comment!

Fraudsters' Parliament -11

I met a couple of nice people at a party last evening...... discussion got round to politics... as it does!

This morning I checked  out my blog and noticed that it was lacking a little culture! Searched the web... as you do.... and found a lovely little song on YouTube .... yes it is dedicated to the MPs' expenses scandal!

Check it out on the link below;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlT0xsDCI5o

Enjoy!

Also have a look at this gag reel of MPs' expenses excuses.... also found on Youtube;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rO5JEHHXNY&feature=related

Now for some more serious stuff! I had a look at Wikipaedia and found this information on The Fraud Act 2006. Look particularly at Sections 2-4 ('Fraud by false representation', 'Fraud by failing to disclose information' and 'Fraud by abuse of position');-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraud_Act_2006

The link on the explanatory notes relating to the Act is rather interesting. I am no legal expert, but could not these notes have been written specifically to deal with MPs who make fraudulent expenses and other claims?

Check it out:-

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2006/en/ukpgaen_20060035_en_1

I ask the question that does not appear to have been asked anywhere in the corridors of power;


Why have we, the taxpaying citizen voters of the UK, not heard the slamming of cell doors behind a not inconsiderable number of MPs in this Fraudsters' Parliament?

The Fraudsters' Parliament - 10

Now that we are pre-occupied with political events in Northern Ireland, the bad weather at home, temporary school closures, ungritted roads, etc., etc., etc., has anyone noticed that the public consultation  deadline details for the attempted 'watering down' of the Kelly Report on MPs' expenses have been announced with all the noise, pomp and razzamataz of a solitary ant tiptoeing past a mechanical digger at full throttle!!

You haven't? ..... Don't worry! We are getting used, in our so called democracy, to having bad news (for politicians) being slipped out or buried at a time of bad news!

The deadline for public consultation is approaching rapidly!

We the taxpaying citizen voters of  the UK have a number of choices;

a). Do nothing and allow those in this parliament who have merrily trousered taxpayers' cash  to continue to do so  ( I call this the 'politicians preferred option'!).

b). Register our feelings (and demand appropriate action against those guilty of misappropriation of public monies with an insistence that the fiddling stops) online at the IPSA consultaion site where the 'powers that be' (The 'crooks' to you and me!) have allowed us, the 'sheeple', to view an 'edited' version of the proposals with a restricted comment facility!

c). Register our feelings by commenting on the full proposals in writing, demanding that the Fraud Act 2006 be used against those who have misappropriated taxpayers' monies and demanding that all self enrichment be stopped!

Or am I just growing cynical in my advancing years!!

The address of the IPSA consultation site is;

http://mpexpensesconsultation.org.uk/

Is it just my old eyes but do the 'new' proposals seem to be a sseveral steps backward  from the Kelly proposals?

The Fraudsters' Parliament -9

As promised, please find below the text of my comment to the The Herald/Sunday Herald website;


Dear heraldscotland,



Unlike Mr Darling, and many of those in what has become more widely known as the Westminster Fraudsters' Parliament, I am not a lawyer. As a taxpaying, voting citizen of the UK, I have read the Fraud Act 2006 which came into force in England in January 2007 and have come to the conclusion that it COULD have been written to deal specifically with those in this parliament who have been trousering taxpayers' monies!
The following text from the Act may cover the situation;


'1 Fraud
(1) A person is guilty of fraud if he is in breach of any of the sections listed in subsection (2) (which provide for different ways of committing the offence).


(2) The sections are-


(a) section 2 (fraud by false representation),
(b) section 3 (fraud by failing to disclose information), and
(c) section 4 (fraud by abuse of position).


(3) A person who is guilty of fraud is liable-
(a) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum (or to both);
(b) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or to a fine (or to both).


(4) Subsection (3)(a) applies in relation to Northern Ireland as if the reference to 12 months were a reference to 6 months.


2 Fraud by false representation


(1) A person is in breach of this section if he-
(a) dishonestly makes a false representation, and
(b) intends, by making the representation-
(i) to make a gain for himself or another, or
(ii) to cause loss to another or to expose another to a risk of loss.


(2) A representation is false if-
(a) it is untrue or misleading, and
(b) the person making it knows that it is, or might be, untrue or misleading.


(3) "Representation" means any representation as to fact or law, including a representation as to the state of mind of-
(a) the person making the representation, or
(b) any other person.


(4) A representation may be express or implied.'




The explanatory notes accompanying the Act include the following text;


'Section 2: Fraud by false representation


10. Section 2 makes it an offence to commit fraud by false representation. Subsection (1)(a) makes clear that the representation must be made dishonestly. This test applies also to sections 3 and 4. The current definition of dishonesty was established in R v Ghosh [1982] Q.B.1053. That judgment sets a two-stage test. The first question is whether a defendant's behaviour would be regarded as dishonest by the ordinary standards of reasonable and honest people. If answered positively, the second question is whether the defendant was aware that his conduct was dishonest and would be regarded as dishonest by reasonable and honest people.'


I would suggest that the many and various attempts by MPs to change, obscure, conceal and ignore attempts to 'flush out ' these practices must be held as evidence that those concerned were aware that their actions were dishonest and that their behaviour would be regarded by dishonest by reasonable and honest people.

I note that this case fulfills at least two of the common public interest factors contained in Section 5.9 of the current Prosecution Manual which is used to determine whether or not the Crown Prosecution Service will instigate a prosecution namely:-


5.9
a). a conviction is likely to result in a significant sentence;
e). the defendant was in a position of trust;
o.) there are grounds for believing that the offence is likely to be continued or repeated, for example, by a history of recurring conduct;


As I mentioned earlier, I am not a lawyer... just a taxpaying citizen voter of the UK..... but am I the only one who is asking why this law has not been deployed against those MPs in the Westminster  Parliament who have 'misappropriated' public monies, irrespective of their political party or their level of seniority in that political party?


If the law DOES apply to MPs, as it applies to all of us in England (I am not sure of the situation in Scotland), when can I, a taxpaying citizen voter, expect to hear the slamming of cell doors behind the guilty?


Yours faithfully,


John L Bell
http://johnlbell.blogspot.com/

The web address of the website is;

http://www.heraldscotland.com/

The address of the article which prompted the comment is;

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/chancellor-quits-law-body-as-expenses-inquiry-begins-1.997379

Fraudsters' Parliament - 8

I have just read an article on The Herald/Sunday Herald website relating to Alistair Darling resigning from from Scotland’s most prestigious legal body after it started an inquiry into his conduct surrounding his expenses as an MP!

You can read the article on the online version of the newspaper at the link below;

http://www.heraldscotland.com/

The link direct to the article is;

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/politics/chancellor-quits-law-body-as-expenses-inquiry-begins-1.997379

This paper has an online comment facility. It is necessary to register, confirm a regisration e-mail sent to your email box and then login.

I sent a comment in but there does not appear to be a confirmation system so I am not sure if my comment got through! ..... There was nothing new in the comment..... just the same statement followed by the same question! I have had problems including the text of my comment in this post so will try to include it in my next post. The comment is copyright free so feel free to cut and paste it into any bona fide letter.