Archive for the 'MPs' Category
I don't really live in Watford because it's a long way from London, says town's MP
Yazan: sarabedford | 31 March 2009 | 2 Comments
Categories: expenses, MPs, Watford
Even I was surprised at the speed at which Claire Ward went to the local paper in an attempt to justify her second home allowance.You can see that her constituents don’t agree with her from the long list of comments (I’m the one using my real name, BTW). The paper reports Ms Ward as saying: [...]
Storm in a breakfast teacup
Yazan: sarabedford | 31 March 2009 | 1 Comment
Categories: expenses, MPs
A major incident was avoided this morning, when 5Live broadcaster Nicky Campbell withdrew his jokey comment that Guido Fawkes was a fascist. Nicky intrioduced Guido as ‘a right-wing blogger’, Guido responding by saying how nice it was to be on the ‘left-wing BBC’ Nicky’s response that it was good to have a ‘fascist’ on the show [...]
Catching up with Chairman Pickles
Yazan: sarabedford | 27 March 2009 | 1 Comment
Categories: expenses, MPs, Parliament
I didn’t catch Question Time live last night. That’s not unusual; the busy lives in the household mean that we are often dependent on the Sky+ box and its wonderful ‘Series Link’ feature. So this morning I sat down with a large cup of tea and a chocolate chip cookie and prepared for an hour of [...]
Hypocrisy – alive and well and living in the Labour Party's second home
Yazan: sarabedford | 26 March 2009 | No Comments
Categories: expenses, MPs
The last few days have been full of the large claims made by London MPs for second home elsewhere in the capital. Minister Tony McNulty has come under fire for claiming £60,000 for his parents’ home in Harrow, whilst living just nine miles away in Hammersmith. Labour MP Dawn Butler has claimed £37,245 over the last two [...]
Government climbdown over MPs expenses?
Yazan: sarabedford | 21 January 2009 | 1 Comment
Categories: MPs
Andrew Neil seems to have announced that the Statutory Instrument due to be laid before the House tomorrow, limiting the amount of information on their MPs need to make public, has been shelved! No further information and the BBC web site still gives the information that there will be a 3 line whip on Labour MPs [...]
The sorcerer's apprentice
Yazan: sarabedford | 29 July 2008 | No Comments
Categories: Conservatives, Labour, MPs
It can’t be much fun being Gordon Brown at the moment. Even on holiday, he’s faced with derogatory comments about his dress sense and looks about as relaxed as you would expect for someone who’s become a dead man walking. It’s not much more than a year since he was crowned Labour leader and Prime [...]
Does Watford's MP know anything about the constituency?
Yazan: sarabedford | 28 July 2008 | No Comments
Categories: Labour, MPs, Watford
On a constituency profile page on her web site, Claire Ward states that: “Two of the Three Rivers wards, Carpenders Park and Oxhey Hall, are to the south of Watford town and include mostly prosperous commuter villages.” Prosperous commuter villages? I like the areas very much (and know them well, having agented both wards for [...]
Ian Oakley charged
Yazan: sarabedford | 24 July 2008 | No Comments
Categories: Conservatives, MPs
From the Watford Observer Tory hopeful Ian Oakley has been charged by police for his alleged involvement in a three-year hate vendetta. The 31-year-old former Conservative parliamentary candidate, who quit the party this week, was charged by police in relation to five counts of criminal damage and two counts of harassment. Mr Oakley was questioned by [...]
Ward defends tax-free perk
Yazan: sarabedford | 04 July 2008 | No Comments
Categories: MPs
So MPs have voted to retain their second homes allowance, including the now infamour ‘John Lewis list’. They also voted to block plans to have their expenses externally audited. No surprise that Claire Ward voted to retain all the allowances. After all, it’s a long journey from Watford to Westminster. Several thousand of her constitunts [...]
