Lubana antidote

Not for a second have I defended the mortal sins on MPs expenses that been published in abundant detail. But they should have been made public in an orderly manner not to serve the Telegraph’s political agenda.

The practice of flipping the status of homes is dishonest and unjustified. So is the evasion of capital gains tax. But the Telegraph has deliberately used insinuation to nail blameless MPs.  They now say Gordon Brown is not guilty, four days after smearing him with a headline story about his cleaner that implied improper conduct. The public has swallowed that myth as a poll today confirms.

The reputations of Paul Murphy and Kevin Brennan have been besmirched. The Sunday Telegraph devotes half a page in a McCarthyite sneer because Kevin had a television for his second home delivered to his first home. Of course, he did. I believe all MPs do the same.

All reasonably portable items for my London flat have been bought in Newport. They are usually better value and it certainly more convenient.  My telly was bought in Newport and taken by me in my car to London. Taking deliveries in London would entail hanging around in our flats in London waiting for the van to turn up. Virtual all MPs are in the Commons from 9.00am until gone 10.00pm. There is nothing sinister whatsoever in having goods delivered to our main addresses. Yet that is the ONLY nit-picking point that the Telegraph has discovered after trawling through several hundred pages of Kevin’s claims and receipts.

Would any Telegraph reporter emerge so squeaky clean after a similar probe of their claims? This is not to justify the alleged conduct of Tony McNulty, Margaret Moran, Jacqui Smith, Geoff Hoon or the Tories whose details may be published tonight. The explanation by Margaret Moran today was not convincing.

The public mood is now so inflamed that news that any MP has claimed anything for any reason is hailed as a scandal. No one now questions the need for root and branch reforms. But justified outrage should not deteriorate into a hysterical witch-hunt of the innocent.

Finest Folk Fest

It was warm glorious spring day at the Tredegar House Folk Festival this afternoon.  It was a wonderful success. The best ever. Most popular group were Lubana from Latvia. It was marvellous meeting the top-hatted dancers from a country that is similar to Wales. I have had the satisfaction of watching the emergence of this nation into new independance. I was there in in 1989 with David Owen, in 1990 with Quentin Davies and on twother parliamentary delegations. Forget any ideas of junkets. Think of icy winter, Red Army threatening thugs and brave Latvians facing them down.

Pictured below are some of the day's great hits. They include the Cwmni Gwerin Pont-y-pwl ,
Newport based India Dance Wales and the O’Donell Irish Dancers.

 

 

Comments

[DG]

"So can we have some sense of perspective please!"

Happy to provide some.

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/search/892600.Mother_locked_up_for_benefits_fraud/

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/search/1587772.Benefits_cheat_must_repay_every_penny/

http://www.threerivers.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/Jailsentenceforresidentclaimingthousandsinbenefitfraudcase

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/campaigns/benefit-thieves/

How many of those people get a chance to say "Ooops, sorry, I'll pay it back?" and walk away?

[Paul Flynn]

A second home is accepted necessity for MPs living beyond commuting distance from Westminster. A television is a fairly basic requirement these days. What's wrong with that?

[patrick]

Kay-Tie
PF had a point in that until today all the media news (mostly hype) was directed at Labour MPS.
The media have at last realised that there is corruption in the HOC (oh shock horror, outrage).
The same corruption can be found in just about every British workplace.
But no doubt KT you declare every pence of your earnings including the Two grand you spent on the 20 Hands High shire horse that you evangelize from.

[Chris Gale]

Kate Hoey is a total disgrace to the Labour party. She should have declared an interest before making her silly statement as she writes for Torygraph...

As for expenses, compared to many other countries our parliamentary system is pretty squeaky clean. We live in relative comfort compared to a lot of the globe with system of support some would love. So can we have some sense of perspective please!

[Kay Tie]

But Tony, you don't understand - these MPs are guilty of being Labour. It's all a conspiracy by the media against the Party. Of course, the reports of Tory snouts in the trough are just to give the appearance of balance. No rules were broken and... Oh I can't keep a straight face any longer.

[Tony]

I have a friend who is moving house away from Cardiff and his job for family reasons
So he will need to find somewhere to stay in Cardiff during the week - and he is not being paid an allowance for that .. so there are lots of people in the same position who sort themselves out without large expense claims
But MP's do have allowances - but is a TV absolutely required ? The flat/apartment etc I'm happy with as that seems OK , but a lot of the rest seems over the top
- and what is making it worse is that MP's do not seem to see that
Its the whole entitlement culture when the country is in deep doo doo and it just grates
And Martins attack on Kate Hoey sounded pathetic - I think she is right - it looks daft to do this
I was at work this morning and not one , not one person was defending the MP's
Thsi has gone on for so long that I think people are fed up . the economy and finances are a mess and this looks like an easy target
I think I'd get a move on to fix this - June 4th beckons ..

[Gavin Trott]

I read your blog with interest & astonished that as an elected representative you still don't understand the public's concern over this issue. It's not the issue where a tv is delivered to, but the fact that you think it's ok for the tax payer to pay for it!! If you think that is acceptable then i suspect your constituents may disagree come next election time.