CONSERVATIVE MPs’ EXPENSES PUBLISHED

Published at July 16, 2008 in MPs' Conduct, Conservative news, NEWS -, POLITICS - and Conservatives. 0 Comments

Sorry for the rapid blog entries today, but we’ve just had the news that the expenses claimed by all Conservative Front Bench MPs for the last three months have been published.

This comes as part of David Cameron’s continued efforts to bring greater openness to the issue of MPs’ expenses and allowances.

The information published includes a comprehensive list of staff and their positions, an indication of any family members employed, and a breakdown of office running costs and expenditure incurred by staying away from their main home.

To see expenses claimed, please follow this link. Please note that comments on individual MPs’ expenses should be posted on the conservatives.com website.

The LDA Report & MPs’ Expenses

Published at July 16, 2008 in POLITICS -, London Mayor, Local Services, Local government, TOPICS -, Labour, Local news and Conservatives. 0 Comments

The report on the London Development Agency that was commissioned by Boris Johnson in the wake of the Lee Jasper affair will make uncomfortable reading for Ken Livingstone. Indeed, the only statement he and his Labour colleagues on the GLA have been able to make, is that the committee was “Tory dominated” and therefore somehow lacking in credibility.

Continue reading ‘The LDA Report & MPs’ Expenses’

So there IS money in the kitty..

Published at July 15, 2008 in NEWS -, The Economy, POLITICS -, Tax, National news, TOPICS - and Labour. 0 Comments

There has been understandable uproar about the story that has broken in the press today about the Government bowing to the Unions and telling businesses that they must promote Trades Union membership in order to get their hands on their share of £115 billion of public service contracts.

This will cause obvious problems to companies, who are already saddled with record amounts of employment legislation and other red tape.

The other question is, though - how does the Government have £115 billion to spend on “public service contracts” (that’s running speed camera operations, failed child tax credits and Olympic delivery to you and I), when pumping just 10% of that money into tax cuts might actually help kick-start our troubled economy?

Just a thought.

The Richmond Declaration

Published at July 6, 2008 in West Twickenham, Twickenham Riverside, Teddington, Whitton, TOPICS -, NEWS -, POLITICS -, Local government, South Twickenham, St Margarets & North Twickenham, Fulwell & Hampton Hill, IN YOUR AREA -, Local news, Hampton, Hampton North, Heathfield, Hampton Wick and Conservatives. 5 Comments

I am very proud to support The Richmond Declaration, the fresh, positive 10-point Richmond Borough Conservative manifesto for restoring common sense on planning.

I cannot tell you how much of my casework revolves around  the emotional and environmental costs of poor planning decisions, whether on the large scale of the proposed Twickenham Riverside project, which I have long opposed, or smaller scale projects that ruin vistas or blight the lives of pockets of residents.

Not all of the blame can be placed on the doorstep of this council - the national rules and diktats imposed by central Government mean that councils often cannot make the right choices for their communities. However, there are many instances where this LibDem council has put financial gain, bad practice or nonsensical decisions above what is right for residents in the long term.

Those of us who have known Richmond Borough for decades can see that it is becoming overcrowded and over developed. I am opposed to high-density housing or high-rise buildings in the borough and want to see a sensible approach to planning here in the 21st century.

Please follow this link to the Richmond Declaration and see how we will work to keep Richmond Borough green in the years to come.

MPs and their expenses (Part VII)

Published at July 4, 2008 in POLITICS -, NEWS -, MPs' Conduct, TOPICS -, National news, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Conservatives. 3 Comments

The vote last night by MPs on their salaries and expenses was astonishing, if only because most of the Government (including Gordon Brown) did not bother to turn up for the vote. Macavity Brown was, as usual, leading from the front by being in a meeting during the vote, whilst 33 of his own Ministers (including his own PPSs) voted for no change to the rules - presumably because they know they’ll be out of a job soon and need all the money they can get.

So shocked was David Cameron, that apparently he said said after the vote, “Where’s the Government?” Continue reading ‘MPs and their expenses (Part VII)’