Speaker safe

Future Probe

The Commons Speaker is secure for now.

The anger that the majority of MPs feel about unjust accusations is deep. No scalp is about to be offered to the tabloids for a hysterical witch hunt. Of course, there are grounds for criticism but nothing to justify the weekend’s persecution. The Speaker has become the victim and MPs are not prepared to join the hunt.

He is accused of breaking rules that do not exist. I have 26,000 air miles. I tried to give them to Oxfam but that is not possible. MPs have never been told that they should not be used for any purpose.

Repeatedly the accusation against the Speaker is that he claimed expenses on a house on which the mortgage has been paid. Again, that's entirely legitimate. No claim can be made for mortgage payments - only for interest. That is paid only on receipt of proof of the precise amount paid. What can be paid are additional expenses for running a second home. The implied smear that he is 'claiming when the mortgage has been paid' is a meaningless malign accusation based on ignorance of the system.

But the realisation that trust in MPs has collapsed is slowly dawning. The expenses system is indefensible and it invites abuse. There has undoubtedly been some. Probably more could have been expected. It is certain new checks must be installed, supervised by a body that is independent of parliament.

The Speaker has had an eight year stint – which is average for Speakers. This parliament will continue until well into 2010. A new Speaker may well be elected after a decent period has elapsed after the media assault that he has suffered.

Musical

One of our city’s splendid schools was welcome to a Commons’ visit today.

Caerleon Comprehensive has an incredible record for splendid musical achievement. Recently they were the only non-specialist music school to achieve a place in UK national performances.

Today’s lively group asked about teenage suicides, university grants, drug laws, developing world poverty, the gap between rich and poor and the future of our city. All the questions were courteous, intelligent and friendly.

    Once again, it’s a pleasure to meet with our much maligned younger generation. After leaving our meeting, they were liberated to indulge the joys of a sun bathed London for the rest of the day. I hope it went well.

Let down

The new local rugby stadium plans were a bit of a disappointment.

Jessica Morden and I saw the details today. Yes, it will be great to have a modern stadium and agreeable new student and public housing on this city centre site.

There will less parking places than now. Rugby supporters must get used to walking to the new stadium. It worked well in Cardiff on Sunday. The new main stands are not the popular sidestands but positioned at the extreme ends of the stadium. The most popular seats are always on the halfway line. There will be few of those. It’s inevitable because of the proximity of nearby houses. It will take the capacity of the ground from 10,000 (mostly standing) to 15,000 (all seating). There will also be many new facilities for community use.

It’s all building up to a very exciting new look for the city prior to 2012 Ryder Cup.

Comments

[paulflynn]

Purnell is an interesting case. If he has two homes as most MPs do, he cannot avoid capital gains on both. By not paying it on his London Home he will have to pay it on his constituency home.

MPs are free to decide which in their main home. There are financial restrictions depending on choice. But it is swings and roundabouts.

I repeat all the allegations of the most serious sleaze offences have been against Tory MPs. All of them. In the cash for questions stunt by the Sunday Times, 20 MPs were invited to take the cash. 7 out of ten Tories took the bait. None of the Labour/LibDems ten did.

[Mrs.Josephine Hyde-Hartley]

Hello. I thought I'd just test this facility, if I may.

[Not so Jolly Roger]

You're miles out, Paul, I'm so afraid.
If you claim that it's only the Tories who raid,
The expenses trough just as they please,
Kindly have a look at some of these.
What about Geoff Hoon for a starter,
Straw, Prescott and Blunkett, the martyr.
Ruth Kelly and Margaret Beckett too,
All claim their perks for home number two.

James Purnell can't seem to make up his mind.
Which home is the Primary, he must think we're blind.
Of course, you have told us, it's all in the rules,
But you've made them up yourselves to take us for fools.
An expense audit should immediately take place.
That should take the smile off your collective face.
Only six reprobates you smugly proclaim.
More like six fifty to shoulder the blame.

Honourable Members? Don't make me laugh.
You've all got more neck than a bleedin' giraffe.
You claim that the 'rules' are infrequently broken.
What about the spirit, which remains unspoken.
You're quite right, Paul, we do think the worst.
Our taxes increase as if we were cursed.
Your expenses increase at commensurate rate.
We're getting near breaking point, I'm telling you mate.

Appended below, just as a f'rinstance,
Are James Purnell's wangles to ensure his resistance,
To Capital Gains Tax, the scourge of the wealthy.
We must ensure that his balance remains healthy.
Are his houses primary or secondary?
That's the puzzle, even a quandary.
I won't try to rhyme it as it's not really mine.
A hat tip to Guido, I'm sure he'll say "fine".

James Purnell Sticks to the 'Rules'.

Purnell, a former adviser to Tony Blair, bought his London flat in 2000, according to Land Registry records, before he became an MP. When he sold the Bloomsbury mansion flat in October 2004, he avoided capital gains tax because he said it qualified as his main residence.

However, from April 2003 if not earlier he was telling the Commons authorities that his London flat was his second home and claiming about £20,000 a year in housing subsidies.

Purnell was elected an MP in 2001. He confirmed this weekend that he bought his Manchester constituency home in June 2002 and at that point it became his main residence. That would have enabled him to claim housing allowances on his second home in London, under rules allowing MPs to claim the cost of staying away from their main home.

Purnell confirmed that from April 2003 he claimed the second-home allowance on his London flat. He said he could not recall which property he claimed on between 2001, when he became an MP, and 2003. He said that the parliamentary authorities had destroyed the records because they were so old.

[paulflynn]

Thanks Jolly Roger.

All the serious offenders are Tories in this and previous parliaments. The stuffing £5s in brown envelopes, the claiming of £20 grand non-existent home, Conway and Wintertons are all Tories.

The accustaions against the Speaker are largely ones of breaking non-existing rules.

You, Jolly Roger, and most of the public are content to think the worst. They believe that the half a dozen reprobates are typical of the other 650. They are not.

[Not so Jolly Roger]

So there we are, Paul, old boy.
Mick's off the hook, oh! tears of joy.
His missus can continue with her trough snouting,
For every single shopping outing.
No need to account for a single penny.
What's good for the one is good for the many.
The only problem that I can see,
Is that there won't be much left in the pot for me.

Your self policing of expense accounts.
Will do no more than increase the amounts.
That MPs and their families spend.
It's enough to drive you round the bend.
Fear not Paul, I think you're excepted.
When I wish that your trough snouting mates are rejected.
At the elections, next time round.
Labour's out, I'll be bound.

In the meantime, Paul dear chap,
You can give yourself a clap,
For recognising the urgent need,
For revisions in the expenses creed.
Whilst pensioners like me make do,
With beans on toast and tins of stew.
We'll stick to our mantra of No Surrender.
We think most MPs are just pudenda.