Tag Archives: david amess

DPMQs: “Grotesque” and “beneath contempt” – Clegg on the Milly Dowler phone hacking allegations

By Paul Walter | Published 5th July 2011 - 8:45 pm

The highest profile issue at Deputy Prime Minister’s questions today was the issue of press phone hacking in the light of the allegations concerning Milly Dowler and the News of the World.

Harriet Harman asked Nick Clegg to back Ed Miliband’s call for a general public inquiry into illegality in the newspaper industry. As someone has said, this is a bit like holding an inquiry into why we get bad weather. In a sign of divisions within Labour, Chris Bryant, in contrast, has called for a more narrow inquiry.

Nick Clegg stopped short of backing an inquiry but, instead, emphasised the importance …

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Posted in Parliament | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

The most improbable MP expenses defence: my bank told me to do it

By Mark Pack | Published 5th February 2010 - 10:29 pm

It’s a toughly contested field. But I think we have a clear winner in the “most improbable excuse for expenses claims” stakes.

Step forward David Amess, Conservative MP for Southend West.

He previously took to hiding in a hairdressers to avoid answering questions about his expense claims, he was one of the MPs who voted to block expense reform in the summer of 2008 and now he’s come out with this:

Southend Echo - Amess - Bank Told Me To Overclaim

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Posted in Opposition watch, Parliament | Also tagged | 3 Comments

Find Tory David Amess’s £1,500 website and win an LDV prize!

By Stephen Tall | Published 23rd June 2009 - 9:00 pm

The Southend Echo reports (hat-tip to Peter Welch):

SOUTHEND West Conservative MP David Amess claimed more than £1,500 on expenses for website design and hosting. However, the only website the Echo has been able to find dedicated to Mr Amess contained just one picture and no information about him, besides the statement he was the MP for Southend West.

Yesterday, a spokesman at MP’s London office was unable to confirm the web address to which of Mr Amess’s claim related or if it had ever gone live. He said he would ask Mr Amess to call us back, but the

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Posted in News | Also tagged , , | 7 Comments

David Amess hides in a hairdressers

By Mark Pack | Published 29th May 2009 - 4:40 pm

Another one to file in the “how not to handle the media” file, via the Echo:

MP DAVID Amess ran from the Echo to avoid questions after his expenses showed he claimed the maximum of £400 for food every month for the past four years.

The Tory MP sought refuge in a hairdressers’ as he tried to duck the issue.

He eventually made his escape when a car arrived at the salon in Westcliff and drove him away, with Mr Amess hiding his face behind a leaflet.

The Southend West MP’s extraordinary actions came after it emerged he claimed the maximum £19,000 on

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Posted in News, Opposition watch | Also tagged | 3 Comments