David Cameron is giving it the ?Daddy?s home and there?s going to be trouble? over Tory MP expenses? The Opposition leader began by vowing to bang heads together in his party as The Daily Telegraph?s brilliantly enjoyable exposé of MPs? bread-dipping rolled on.
David cameron pictured here....
Some of the best claims have included: £2,000 for cleaning the moat of Douglas Hogg?s Lincolnshire castle; and five grand for gardening costs including ?a helipad? at Sir Michael Spicer?s place (this was explained by Sir Michael, the Tories? most senior backbencher, as ?a family joke?. But not such a funny one that he thought his family should pay for it.)
James Arbuthnot thought it only right that the taxpayer clean his swimming pool (about £1,400 a year) and David Heathcoat-Amory really, really needed 380 quid of our money for a sack of s***. How very appropriate, you might say.
David Cameron has done his level best to convince people that this is a new, different Conservative party ? not just a party for the rich, not just the privileged continuing to feather their already massive nests at the expense of the punters.
Well, David, it doesn?t look good.
On this blog yesterday, Greg McDonald wrote that at least this is a democracy and we can vote out the ones we don?t like. And he's right. The only problem is that the Opposition waiting in the wings are, on this evidence, every bit as craven and greedy as the current Government.
Can?t say I fancy voting for any of them, myself.
::REFERENCE orange news ::
THE EYE-WATERING CLAIMS
*Douglas Hogg Former Agriculture minister Mr Hogg has been paid more than £20,000 a year between 2004 and 2008 in second home allowances, it has been revealed.
*Among the costs itemized were £2,115 for having a moat cleared, £646.25 for ?general repairs, stable etc? and £40 for piano tuning, the Telegraph said.
*Hazel Blears The Communities Secretary claimed for three different properties in a single year, spending almost £5,000 of taxpayers? money on furniture in three months.
*Sir Michael Spicer Sir Michael, who is chairman of the influential Conservative 1922 Committee of back bench MPs, has claimed £620 for the installation of a chandelier and rewiring work and more than £1,000 for servicing an oven, The Daily Telegraph said.He also claimed more than £5,650 for gardening work at his Worcestershire manor house, as well as £4,000 for council tax on two homes.
*Other items reportedly claimed included £3,000 for roof repairs and £2,350 for work on his chimney.
*John Prescott The taxpayer paid for the former deputy prime minister to fit the front of his home in Hull with mock Tudor boards and for his toilet seat to be repaired twice in two years.
*David Heathcoat-Amory The Tory MP for Wells in Somerset reportedly claimed £388.80 for horse manure between 2004 and 2007.
*He also submitted a bill of £986.17 for heating oil in January 2008, and between July and September 2007 Mr Heathcoat-Amory also claimed £1,792.50 worth of invoices from a gardening firm.
*David Miliband The Foreign Secretary claimed almost £30,000 for doing up his £120,000 constituency home over five years, it was reported.He spent up to £180 every three months on the garden at the property in South Shields.At the bottom of one receipt for £132.96 in April 2008, his gardener wrote a note questioning whether some of the work was necessary.
*Alan Duncan The shadow leader of the Commons claimed thousands of pounds for his garden before agreeing with the fees office that the spending ?could be considered excessive?.
*Millionaire Mr Duncan recouped £4,000 over three years. However, a £3,194 bill for gardening in March 2007 was not paid after officials responded suggesting that the claim might not be ?within the spirit? of the rules, according to the Daily Telegraph.
=/ what are your views on this matter my fellow escapists...
David cameron pictured here....
Some of the best claims have included: £2,000 for cleaning the moat of Douglas Hogg?s Lincolnshire castle; and five grand for gardening costs including ?a helipad? at Sir Michael Spicer?s place (this was explained by Sir Michael, the Tories? most senior backbencher, as ?a family joke?. But not such a funny one that he thought his family should pay for it.)
James Arbuthnot thought it only right that the taxpayer clean his swimming pool (about £1,400 a year) and David Heathcoat-Amory really, really needed 380 quid of our money for a sack of s***. How very appropriate, you might say.
David Cameron has done his level best to convince people that this is a new, different Conservative party ? not just a party for the rich, not just the privileged continuing to feather their already massive nests at the expense of the punters.
Well, David, it doesn?t look good.
On this blog yesterday, Greg McDonald wrote that at least this is a democracy and we can vote out the ones we don?t like. And he's right. The only problem is that the Opposition waiting in the wings are, on this evidence, every bit as craven and greedy as the current Government.
Can?t say I fancy voting for any of them, myself.
::REFERENCE orange news ::
THE EYE-WATERING CLAIMS
*Douglas Hogg Former Agriculture minister Mr Hogg has been paid more than £20,000 a year between 2004 and 2008 in second home allowances, it has been revealed.
*Among the costs itemized were £2,115 for having a moat cleared, £646.25 for ?general repairs, stable etc? and £40 for piano tuning, the Telegraph said.
*Hazel Blears The Communities Secretary claimed for three different properties in a single year, spending almost £5,000 of taxpayers? money on furniture in three months.
*Sir Michael Spicer Sir Michael, who is chairman of the influential Conservative 1922 Committee of back bench MPs, has claimed £620 for the installation of a chandelier and rewiring work and more than £1,000 for servicing an oven, The Daily Telegraph said.He also claimed more than £5,650 for gardening work at his Worcestershire manor house, as well as £4,000 for council tax on two homes.
*Other items reportedly claimed included £3,000 for roof repairs and £2,350 for work on his chimney.
*John Prescott The taxpayer paid for the former deputy prime minister to fit the front of his home in Hull with mock Tudor boards and for his toilet seat to be repaired twice in two years.
*David Heathcoat-Amory The Tory MP for Wells in Somerset reportedly claimed £388.80 for horse manure between 2004 and 2007.
*He also submitted a bill of £986.17 for heating oil in January 2008, and between July and September 2007 Mr Heathcoat-Amory also claimed £1,792.50 worth of invoices from a gardening firm.
*David Miliband The Foreign Secretary claimed almost £30,000 for doing up his £120,000 constituency home over five years, it was reported.He spent up to £180 every three months on the garden at the property in South Shields.At the bottom of one receipt for £132.96 in April 2008, his gardener wrote a note questioning whether some of the work was necessary.
*Alan Duncan The shadow leader of the Commons claimed thousands of pounds for his garden before agreeing with the fees office that the spending ?could be considered excessive?.
*Millionaire Mr Duncan recouped £4,000 over three years. However, a £3,194 bill for gardening in March 2007 was not paid after officials responded suggesting that the claim might not be ?within the spirit? of the rules, according to the Daily Telegraph.
=/ what are your views on this matter my fellow escapists...
