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'No comment' from MP
ST ALBANS MP Anne Main has refused to comment on the publication of the generous lists of MPs entitlements for their London homes.
When staying in the capital MPs can claim up to £23,000 for rent, hotel fees or mortgage interest payments and furnishings.
The so-called John Lewis list', published last week for the first time, details the amount MPs can claim up to for certain items including £10,000 for a new kitchen and £650 for a plasma television.
The publication was greeted with mixed reaction from MPs, some praised it and called for further transparency in this type of expense - of which Anne Main claimed £22,110 - and others said they were made to feel like crooks for claiming.
But Tom Jones, spokesman for Anne Main, only had this to say: "Anne has nothing to add. All her expenses are a matter of public record, have been fully approved by the fees office and she fully discloses the figures for claimed reimbursements in every category which includes the running of her office, staffing, travel and accommodation expenses.
"She will always comply fully with the current fee structure and any future changes to the fee structure."
He also refused to break down her expenses further.
Meanwhile her Conservative counterpart in Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps told our sister paper the Welwyn Hatfield Review that he welcomed transparent expenses and the publishing of the list, and stressed expenses should be spent wisely.
The MP spent only £3,244 on staying away expenses as he chooses not to own a second home in London but instead stays in a hotel when neccessary.
5:37pm Thursday 20th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: paul on 9:49am Fri 21 Mar 08
For an MP who can quite easily commute to Parliament it is disgraceful that they believe that just because the rules are loosely drawn and allow them to claim second home expenses that it is morally right for them to do so (AND benefit from any resulting capital gains!).
Shame on you Mrs. Main if you have your snout in the trough like this....and shame on you for trying to hide the details of your claims...you are spending taxpayers' money and are accountable for so doing.
Why not follow the good example of Mr. Shapps?
Your conduct in this matter is more akin to that of the comrades on the Government benches, most of whom could never dream of earning what they do if they had to work in the 'real' world.
And shame on the Observer editor for letting Mrs. Main's 'spokesman' get away with the dismissive comments he made. There's something called the Freedom of Information Act which will force this detail into the public arena.
It would, of course, be more honourable for Mrs. Main to do this of her own volition, but it apears our Honourable Member lacks this basic quality.
For an MP who can quite easily commute to Parliament it is disgraceful that they believe that just because the rules are loosely drawn and allow them to claim second home expenses that it is morally right for them to do so (AND benefit from any resulting capital gains!).
Shame on you Mrs. Main if you have your snout in the trough like this....and shame on you for trying to hide the details of your claims...you are spending taxpayers' money and are accountable for so doing.
Why not follow the good example of Mr. Shapps?
Your conduct in this matter is more akin to that of the comrades on the Government benches, most of whom could never dream of earning what they do if they had to work in the 'real' world.
And shame on the Observer editor for letting Mrs. Main's 'spokesman' get away with the dismissive comments he made. There's something called the Freedom of Information Act which will force this detail into the public arena.
It would, of course, be more honourable for Mrs. Main to do this of her own volition, but it apears our Honourable Member lacks this basic quality.
Posted by: mike, st albans on 10:41am Fri 21 Mar 08
Paul how do you know that the newspaper hasn't put an FOI request in? It can take up to 50 days for a response and they have done it before. I think newspapers can cross examine spokesman, but blaming the editor for a politican's question-ducking comment is somewhat odd...
Paul how do you know that the newspaper hasn't put an FOI request in? It can take up to 50 days for a response and they have done it before. I think newspapers can cross examine spokesman, but blaming the editor for a politican's question-ducking comment is somewhat odd...
Posted by: Bob S, St Albans on 12:56pm Fri 21 Mar 08
When the St Albans Observer misjudges it does so big time!
Who said no comment?
I can't ever remember any stories about Pollard and his expenses.
When the St Albans Observer misjudges it does so big time!
Who said no comment?
I can't ever remember any stories about Pollard and his expenses.
Posted by: Denny, St Albans on 5:46pm Sat 22 Mar 08
Within reason I dont care how much we pay for Anne Main, she is the only MP Ive ever had who has been genuinely helpful when asked for help and actually appears to have a spine and not just be a yes-person.
Rather pay lots of dosh for a useful MP than less for a rubbish one!
The Commons should reduce the allowances if they are overgenerous but claiming an entitlement should not result in MPs being abused.
Within reason I dont care how much we pay for Anne Main, she is the only MP Ive ever had who has been genuinely helpful when asked for help and actually appears to have a spine and not just be a yes-person.
Rather pay lots of dosh for a useful MP than less for a rubbish one!
The Commons should reduce the allowances if they are overgenerous but claiming an entitlement should not result in MPs being abused.
Posted by: paul on 1:23pm Mon 24 Mar 08
[quote][bold]mike[/bold] wrote:
Paul how do you know that the newspaper hasn't put an FOI request in? It can take up to 50 days for a response and they have done it before. I think newspapers can cross examine spokesman, but blaming the editor for a politican's question-ducking comment is somewhat odd...[/quote] Mike,
if the newspaper HAS put in an FOI request it would have been interesting for them to have added a sentence to the article to say as much, so we know that the reporter isn't just sitting back and accepting the arrogant snub from Mrs. Main's 'spokesman'. Doesn't he and she realise that dismissive comments like this indicate that they have something to be ashamed of?
As I made clear in my original comment, Mrs. Main may be abiding by the rules, but it's her cynical exploitation of rules intended to cover MPs who cannot easily commute to Westminster which sticks in the gullet.
She is, of course by no means alone in this, but if only she had the good judgement to realise that the gravy-train is rolling to a halt and that voluntary openess with her electors, rather than trying to postpone the inevitable exposure of the details by some hack, is the better course.
Denny, this is not about Mrs. Main's usefulness as an MP, and no-one is 'abusing' Mrs. Main. I am calling into question her judgements, both moral and political, on this issue.
There is still time for her to take the initiative and explain herself and defend her use of public funds before being ungracefully forced to do so.
mike wrote:
Paul how do you know that the newspaper hasn't put an FOI request in? It can take up to 50 days for a response and they have done it before. I think newspapers can cross examine spokesman, but blaming the editor for a politican's question-ducking comment is somewhat odd...
Mike,
if the newspaper HAS put in an FOI request it would have been interesting for them to have added a sentence to the article to say as much, so we know that the reporter isn't just sitting back and accepting the arrogant snub from Mrs. Main's 'spokesman'. Doesn't he and she realise that dismissive comments like this indicate that they have something to be ashamed of?
As I made clear in my original comment, Mrs. Main may be abiding by the rules, but it's her cynical exploitation of rules intended to cover MPs who cannot easily commute to Westminster which sticks in the gullet.
She is, of course by no means alone in this, but if only she had the good judgement to realise that the gravy-train is rolling to a halt and that voluntary openess with her electors, rather than trying to postpone the inevitable exposure of the details by some hack, is the better course.
Denny, this is not about Mrs. Main's usefulness as an MP, and no-one is 'abusing' Mrs. Main. I am calling into question her judgements, both moral and political, on this issue.
There is still time for her to take the initiative and explain herself and defend her use of public funds before being ungracefully forced to do so.
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