Category Archives: Daily View

Daily View 2×2: 16 November 2009

By Stephen Tall | Mon 16th November 2009 - 10:15 am

2 Big Stories

It’s the last Queen’s Speech before the general election

Which can only mean, as The Times reports:

Gordon Brown will begin a six-month election campaign this week with one of the shortest but most deliberately political programmes of recent years. … In a podcast on the Downing Street website, Mr Brown said that Britons wanted world-class public services underpinned by “guarantees not gambles”. He was referring to legislation this week that will enshrine in law the right of NHS patients to get treatment within 18 weeks or to see a cancer specialist within two weeks — or be granted

…

Tagged giles wilkes and ian eiloart | Leave a comment

Daily View 2×2: 15 November 2009

By Mark Pack | Sun 15th November 2009 - 7:00 am

It’s Sunday. It’s 7am. And by popular demand, it’s time for another peanut butter gem from YouTube. But first, the news.

2 Big Stories

MoD probes new Iraq abuse claims

The Ministry of Defence has said it is investigating new allegations of abuse by the UK military in Iraq.

Lawyers acting for former Iraqi detainees are calling for a full public inquiry into 33 abuse claims made during UK military involvement there.

One allegation is that two soldiers raped a 16-year-old boy in 2003.

Armed forces minister Bill Rammell said such claims were taken seriously but formal inquiries must be held “without judgements being made prematurely”. (BBC)

Tagged bill rammell, iraq and jacques diouf | 2 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 13 November 2009

By Helen Duffett | Fri 13th November 2009 - 10:15 am

The obvious big news this morning is the Glasgow North East Parliamentary by-election – and discussion is already underway here at Iain’s post.

2 Big Stories

My own two stories this morning have a transport/travel/systems-related bent:
East Coast Mainline back under government control

National Express will hand back East Coast Mainline services between London and Edinburgh and the rest of the East Coast franchise just before midnight.

Falling revenue and rising costs left it unable to meet a commitment to pay £1.4bn for the franchise until 2015.

A government company, Directly Operated Railways, will run the franchise for at least 18 months. Ministers say staff and services will be unaffected.

Tagged dmitry medvedev, east coast mainline and sara bedford | 1 Comment

Daily View 2×2: 12 November 2009

By Alex Foster | Thu 12th November 2009 - 7:34 am

Good morning. Today in 1990, Tim Berners Lee published a formal proposal for the world wide web. Today nearly twenty years later, here we all are. And isn’t it frightening that 1990 is nearly twenty years ago?!

2 Big Stories

Labour’s plan for ‘John Lewis’ public services

The Guardian is reporting that the Labour party are proposing mutualising public bodies – and the Guardian thinks the concept of mutualisation will be so alien to its readers that the only way of explaining it is by analogy to John Lewis.

Hospitals and schools would be transformed into John Lewis-style partnerships under radical plans that could form a central plank of Labour’s general election manifesto.

Public sector bodies, which would also include leisure centres, housing organisations and social care providers, would be allowed to take control of their own affairs if staff and users voted in favour.

Quite an amazing change of fortune from the party that has spent the last dozen years increasing Whitehall control over – well, pretty much everything.

Tagged cornwall council, elderly, john ault, john lewis, mutualisation, tim berners lee and valerie singleton | 4 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 11 November 2009

By Iain Roberts | Wed 11th November 2009 - 7:53 am

2 Big Stories

Woman loses appeal against noisy sex

You might have thought Gordon and that letter would be the big story, but the BBC website says differently, with this rated higher on the Most Shared and Most Read charts by yesterday evening.

And why not? It’s got sex, crime and something odd – just the sort of story we, the Great British public, relish.

As a neighbour said:

“The noise sounds like they are both in considerable pain. I cannot describe the noise. I have never ever heard anything like it.”

But, in case you want your big stories to have a serious political edge, there are other issues.

Tagged john major and lembit opik | 5 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 10 November 2009

By Richard Huzzey | Tue 10th November 2009 - 5:09 am

2 Big Stories

Every phone call, email and internet click stored by ‘state spying’ databases – The Telegraph

Key oil figures were distorted by US pressure, says whistleblower – The Guardian

2 Must-read Posts

It’s a think tank reaction special…

Jonathan Calder compared the Taxpayer’s Alliance to a dead duck:

They are obviously very bright over at the TaxPayers’ Alliance. Because they are absolutely right. Animal rescue is not the central job of the fire service.

James Schneider praised a Tory plan for social housing, and noted its origin in a more radical scheme:

Tim Leunig’s original paper for Policy Exchange goes a

…

2 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 9 November 2009

By Stephen Tall | Mon 9th November 2009 - 10:30 am

2 Big Stories

Brown apologises for mis-spellings in condolence letter

Here’s a deeply uncomfortable story to start the week:

Downing Street has defended the way the prime minister writes to bereaved families after a dead soldier’s mother said Gordon Brown misspelled his name. Guardsman Jamie Janes, 20, from Brighton, East Sussex, was killed in an explosion in Afghanistan in October.

The Sun newspaper said his mother Jacqui had described Gordon Brown’s letter as a “hastily scrawled insult”. Mr Brown has personally contacted Mrs Janes to assure her he did not mean any offence. In a statement, Number 10 said the prime minister “would never knowingly misspell anyone’s name”. Mr Brown has previously admitted problems with his eyesight after a childhood rugby injury.

Sky News has produced an image from the letter for you to judge for yourselves. On the one hand, then, we have a grieving mother upset at what she sees as an insult; on the other, we have a partially sighted Prime Minister with famously bad handwriting. It’s hard not to feel sympathy on boths sides. But I can’t help wondering how many parents will look at the letter, and realise the wording is identical to the one they received from the Prime Minister? Such are the risks you run with the personal touch.

20 years ago today

4 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 8 November 2009

By Mark Pack | Sun 8th November 2009 - 7:00 am

It’s Sunday. It’s 7am. It’s time to find out how peanut butter is made. But first, the news.

2 Big Stories

Gordon Brown floats idea of tax on financial transactions

Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s idea of a financial transactions tax has received a lukewarm response from G20 countries.

The proposal, which took delegates by surprise at the meeting in St Andrew’s overshadowed other items on the agenda.

The US said it would “not support” a transaction tax and Canada added it was “not an idea we would look at”.

The Conservatives said that Downing Street had previously “poured cold water on this proposal” and that the Treasury had called it “unworkable”.

Chancellor Alistair Darling said the leaders had agreed the International Monetary Fund should now consider the possibility of introducing an international transactions tax, which would be used to create a fund for bank bailouts. (BBC)

Tagged alistair darling, banking, germany, glasgow north east and gordon brown | Leave a comment

Daily View 2×2: 6 November 2009

By Iain Roberts | Fri 6th November 2009 - 7:08 am

2 Big Stories

Guy Fawkes Killjoys

The Guy Fawkes celebrations started yesterday and, as we look forward to the next round of bonfire and firework celebrations tonight and tomorrow, it wouldn’t really be the bonfire season without some daft health and safety stories in the press.

A nice example appears in the Daily Express, which rails against “health and safety killjoys” who

have forced a rugby club’s Guy Fawkes revellers to watch a film of a bonfire on television rather than enjoy the real thing.

1 Comment

Daily View 2×2: 5 November 2009

By Alex Foster | Thu 5th November 2009 - 8:10 am

Good morning and welcome to the Voice’s early morning roundup of news and views. It’s 5th November, an anniversary we can all remember, when Guy Fawkes didn’t quite manage to get his suggestions for MPs’ expense reform through Parliament. It’s also Art Garfunkel’s birthday – he’s 68 today.

2 Big Stories

Bloody betrayal raises fresh doubts about Britain’s campaign in Afghanistan

The Times carries the story most papers are leading with this morning.

The killing of five British soldiers by an Afghan policeman raised fresh doubts yesterday about Britain’s mission in Helmand.

Senior political, diplomatic and military figures warned that public support for the British presence was in danger of collapse without a clear and freshly defined strategy.

Meanwhile, the Guardian has one of the more startling headlines I’ve read recently:

Tagged afghanistan, alastair campbell, art garfunkel, autism, cannabis, caron lindsay, charlotte gore, david cameron, guy fawkes, james graham, jenny willott, nicolas sarkozy, pierre lellouche, state pension and william hague | 2 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 4 November 2009

By Iain Roberts | Wed 4th November 2009 - 7:25 am

2 Big Stories

Tory trouble as Lisbon Treaty passes
As the Czech President Vaclav Klaus ratified the EU’s Lisbon Treaty – now set to become law within a few weeks – the Conservative Party once again finds itself risking deep divisions over Europe rising to the surface.

As the Daily Express reports:

denied that the party had broken any promises by dropping the referendum pledge.

“A British referendum until this very day would have meant that the Lisbon Treaty wouldn’t enter into force if people voted no. The position of president of the European Council, the foreign minister of Europe, would never have been implemented,” he said.

“We were very clear that our promise applied to those circumstances. After today, those things will come into force and a referendum can’t change them, it can’t unwind them, it can’t prevent those things being created.

However for Tory Eurosceptics it has become an article of faith after Mr Cameron gave a “cast iron guarantee” two years ago that he would give the British people a chance to vote on the treaty.

Eurosceptic Conservative MP Bill Cash said he had written to Mr Cameron urging him to “reconsider” his decision not to hold a referendum, saying the Tory leader had been “badly advised”.

Tagged alan johnson, lisbon treaty, lynne featherstone and william hague | Leave a comment

Daily View 2×2: 2 November 2009

By Stephen Tall | Mon 2nd November 2009 - 10:00 am

With just 59 days til the end of the third millennium’s first decade, we can celebrate the 72nd anniversary of the birth of BBC1, and that it’s 49 years to the day since Penguin Books was found not guilty of obscenity in the Lady Chatterley’s Lover case.

2 Big Stories

Johnson faces backlash over decision to sack drugs advisor

The fall-out continues from Home Secretary Alan Johnson’s decision to sack Professor David Nutt as chair of his scientific advisory body on drugs policy – The Times reports:

The Government is facing mass resignations from the official advisory body on drugs after the sacking

…

Also posted in Europe / International | Tagged alan johnson, caroline righton, ConservativeHome, david cameron, david nutt, jeremy rowe, judith brooksbank and lisbon treaty | 2 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 1 November 2009

By Mark Pack | Sun 1st November 2009 - 7:00 am

It’s Sunday. It’s 7am. And we’ve got the definitive musical proof that Australian Premier Kevin Rudd is not US President Barack Obama. But first, the news.

2 Big Stories

Government to set up bank chains
Done well, this could be rather good news. A bit more competition in the banking sector could improve service, reduce costs and – by undermining some of the basis for massive bank profits – indirectly help deal with massive bonus payments:

Three new High Street banking chains are to be created by the government by 2015 as part of a major overhaul.

They will be set up by breaking up Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds and Northern Rock, the banks it partially or wholly controls after bail-outs…

The aim of the new banks is to increase competition and recoup taxpayers’ cash.

The government, which holds a 70% stake in RBS and a 43% stake in Lloyds after last October’s bailouts, hopes to announce the sell-off plans on Tuesday.

The new banks will be standard retail banks concentrating on deposits and mortgages.

They will be sold to new entrants to the banking market and not to existing financial institutions. (BBC)

Tagged alan johnson, banking, barack obama, david nutt and kevin rudd | 11 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 30 October 2009

By Helen Duffett | Fri 30th October 2009 - 10:54 am

2 Big Stories

Ministry of Justice plans to cut polling day costs

Thousands of polling stations would be closed and voting hours reduced under a plan to cut the cost of elections.

Other proposals include cutting staff, replacing polling cards with e-mail requests, increasing candidates’ deposits, fixed-term parliaments and reducing security at election counts.

The options, outlined in a working paper drawn up by the Ministry of Justice for the Treasury, are designed to save up to £65 million. They were condemned last night as a “threat to democracy that would save peanuts”. (Times)

Tagged linda jack, nadine dorries, nick griffin, stephen glenn and tony blair | 1 Comment

Daily View 2×2: 29 October 2009

By Alex Foster | Thu 29th October 2009 - 7:53 am

Good morning and welcome to October 29th. Today is the anniversary of the first performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, the birthday of Boswell, the biographer of Samuel L Jackson, and the anniversary of the death of Sir Walter Raleigh (he was executed – I didn’t know that.)

It’s also the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which first set up a Constitution for Europe.

2 Big Stories

The postal strike is on
Read all about it on the Times, the Telegraph and the Guardian:

Both sides blamed each other after three days of talks mediated by the TUC collapsed without a deal being reached. As late as evening there had still been some hope that this week’s strike action could be called off to relieve the pressure on Royal Mail.

Tagged alex wilcock, arnold schwarzenegger, don giovanni, elizabeth truss, european constitution, james boswell, jonathan calder, martin lewis, mozart, paul walter, samuel johnson, samuel l jackson, strikes, tony blair, treaty of rome and walter raleigh | 2 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 28 October 2009

By Iain Roberts | Wed 28th October 2009 - 7:45 am

2 Big Stories

Kelly committee: MPs should only rent
As the BBC reports:

It is understood the Kelly committee, which has been reviewing MPs’ expenses, will recommend that MPs will only be able to rent second homes in future.

It is also expected to recommend that MPs will not be able to employ family members in the future.

2 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 27 October 2009

By Richard Huzzey | Tue 27th October 2009 - 3:41 am

2 Big Stories

Police trainee fights for life after homophobic attack – Telegraph

Brown fights to save Blair’s EU Presidential hopes – Guardian

2 Must-read Posts

Politicians must chatter clearly in the age of twitter, thinks Mark Thompson:

Perhaps what will start to happen is that politicians will realise that being vague about something in a speech and then “clarifying” it in a briefing afterwards will not work in the world of Twitter and blogs.

Camden councillor Alexis Rowell’s mission to turn his borough green from top-to-bottom has reached the Town Hall roof:

Our green roof is little more than a blanket as

…

Daily View 2×2: 26 October 2009

By Stephen Tall | Mon 26th October 2009 - 7:30 am

2 Big Stories

Miliband backs Blair as EU President

Well, here’s a turn-up for the books – the man who was Tony Blair’s head of policy is now backing his former boss for the new post of President of the European Union. Who’d have thunk it? The BBC reports:

David Miliband has ruled himself out of taking a senior role within the EU, while endorsing Tony Blair for the new post of European president. … it would be “good for Britain and good for Europe” if Mr Blair became the president of the European Council. Although Mr Blair is seen as frontrunner

…

Also posted in Europe / International | Tagged david miliband, ed davey, european union, jon ault, peter black, royal mail and tony blair | Leave a comment

Daily View 2×2: 25 October 2009

By Mark Pack | Sun 25th October 2009 - 7:00 am

Morning all. Clocks changed? Good. Now it’s time to catch up on the news including, as it’s a Sunday, another in my occasional series of “Forget Obama; forget West Wing – now THIS is what we should be copying from US politics”.

It’s the political ad that is just bursting to be copied for our next party political broadcast. Send you lobbying email to Cowley Street now. (Probably best do that now rather than after watching the ad. In case you don’t agree with me. But you’d be mad not to. This is quality political advertising at its very best.)

2 Big Stories

Pakistani army takes Taliban chief’s hometown

Pakistani soldiers captured the hometown of the country’s Taliban chief Saturday, a strategic and symbolic initial prize as the army pushes deeper into a militant stronghold along the Afghan border. An army spokesman said the Taliban were in disarray, with many deserting the ranks.

The 8-day-old air and ground offensive in the South Waziristan tribal region is a key test of nuclear-armed Pakistan’s campaign against Islamist militancy. It has already spurred a civilian exodus and deadly retaliatory attacks.

Washington has encouraged the operation in the northwest because many militants there are believed to shelter al-Qaida leaders and are also suspected to be involved in attacks on Western troops in Afghanistan. The U.S. military has also kept up its own missile strikes in the lawless tribal belt, including a suspected one that killed 22 Saturday. (Associated Press)

Tagged nuclear power, pakistan, royal mail and taliban | 3 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 23 October 2009

By Helen Duffett | Fri 23rd October 2009 - 9:02 am

2 Big Stories

Nick Griffin’s appearance on Question Time

British National Party leader Nick Griffin has used his Question Time appearance to criticise Islam and defend a past head of the Ku Klux Klan.

He also told a largely hostile audience that Winston Churchill would be a BNP supporter if he were alive, and said he would find two men kissing “creepy”.

Anti-fascist protestors scuffled with police outside BBC TV Centre in west London before the show was filmed.

Minister Peter Hain said the BBC had legitimised the BNP’s “racist poison”.

But the corporation defended the invitation to the leader of the anti-immigration party to appear, saying it had a duty to be impartial.

One of the panellists, Justice Secretary Jack Straw, said it had been a “catastrophic week for the BNP because for the first time the views of the BNP have been properly scrutinised”.

And following the programme, other panellists said Mr Griffin had been exposed. BBC (with video)

Tagged #bbcqt, andy hinton, duncan stott, nick griffin, royal mail and vince cable | 1 Comment

Daily View 2×2: 22 October 2009

By Alex Foster | Thu 22nd October 2009 - 7:46 am

Good morning readers. It’s the 22nd October and there are just 70 days left til the end of the year. Today is Derek Jacobi’s birthday, the 43rd anniversary of the first time an all-female group topped the charts in the States, and the 114th anniversary of a rather scary train-wreck at Paris’s Montparnasse station.

2 Big Stories

Postal strike poll puts blame on government as union announces action

The Guardian reports a Yougov poll in which voters put the blame for postal strikes squarely on Gordon’s shoulders.

Gordon Brown’s handling of the Royal Mail strikes comes under strong criticism from the public and Labour backbenchers today, with a new poll showing most voters believe the government should get directly involved in the dispute and force management and unions to go to the conciliation service Acas.

Tagged 10:10 campaign, bing, carbon, facebook, google, gordon brown, jane watkinson, maureen rigg, microsoft, stockton, strikes and twitter | Leave a comment

Daily View 2×2: 21 October 2009

By Iain Roberts | Wed 21st October 2009 - 8:01 am

2 Big Stories

Griffin invokes the Nazis

BNP leader Nick Griffin compares British Generals to Nazi war criminals – he really doesn’t like people criticising his party. As the BBC reports:

Comparing them to Nazi military chiefs who faced trial at Nuremberg Mr Griffin said they had pursued “illegal wars”.

Tagged david cameron and nick griffin | Leave a comment

Daily View 2×2: 20 October 2009

By Richard Huzzey | Tue 20th October 2009 - 4:08 am

2 Big stories

Afghanistan set for run-off ballot:

Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, will bow to international pressure today and concede that he did not win a clear majority in Afghanistan’s bitterly contested election, and also accept there should be a second round of voting.

Top brass take on BNP:

The Armed Forces are in danger of being hijacked by far-right extremists “for their own dubious ends”, a group of former generals warn today.

The British National Party is tarnishing the Forces’ reputation by associating itself with the sacrifices of servicemen, they write. They highlight fears within military circles that the party is

…

Daily View 2×2: 19 October 2009

By Stephen Tall | Mon 19th October 2009 - 9:35 am

2 Big Stories

Labour’s Hain threatens BBC with legal action over BNP invitation

Labour’s Welsh secretary Peter Hain makes a bid for the media spotlight today by arguing that the BBC could face legal action over this Thursday’s edition of Question Time, due to feature an appearance by BNP leader Nick Griffin MEP:

… in his letter , Mr Hain … said the decision should be reconsidered in light of a legal case about ethnic restrictions on the BNP’s membership rules. The party has agreed to amend its constitution after the Equalities and Human Rights Commission sought an injunction, claiming the BNP was breaking the Race Relations Act by restricting membership to “indigenous Caucasian” people.

Tagged alcohol, bbc question time, chris huhne, iain dale, mark oaten, Mark Pack, nich starling, norman lamb and peter hain | 1 Comment

Daily View 2×2: 18 October

By Mark Pack | Sun 18th October 2009 - 7:00 am

It’s 7am. It’s Sunday. So it’s time for the musical steps. But first, the news.

2 Big Stories

Royal Mail to hire 30,000 temps

Royal Mail will recruit up to 30,000 temporary staff to deal with upcoming strikes by postal workers and the Christmas rush, the service has said.

The Communication Workers Union has called two nationwide strikes next week over pay, conditions and reform.

The firm said it would hire twice the usual number of extra pre-Christmas staff to cut the impact of “unjustified and irresponsible” industrial action.

But the CWU said managers should be talking, not “planning for failure”. (BBC)

Daily View 2×2: 16 October 2009

By Helen Duffett | Fri 16th October 2009 - 7:00 am

2 Big Stories

Wilshire to stand down amid expenses allegations

A Conservative MP accused of paying more than £100,000 of public money into his own company announced last night that he would stand down at the general election.

David Wilshire called the allegations “deeply hurtful and unjustified” and predicted he would be cleared by the Commons standards watchdog.

But in a brief statement, he said he had reluctantly decided it would not be “sensible” to seek re-election as the MP for Spelthorne.

(Independent)

Tagged bnp, charlotte gore, david wilshire, downing street petitions, john ault, mps expenses, simon darby, spelthorne and tanya jane lumby | 2 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 15 October 2009

By Alex Foster | Thu 15th October 2009 - 8:00 am

Good morning? Is it? Pah. I got the date wrong when I started writing this, and looked up all the exciting facts on Wikipedia. So, here, have some exciting facts about yesterday instead:

Good morning, and welcome to Daily View, on this, the DAY AFTER THE 943rd anniversary of the fateful day when King Harold got something in his eye in the opening foray of what turned out to be the Norman Invasion. 723 years AND ONE DAY later, George Washington proclaimed the first Thanksgiving Day whilst revolutionary fervour swept much of the world. Birthday boys ~~today~~ yesterday included Steve Coogan and the late e e cummings.

Anyway, more importantly than all that, it’s Thursday, so it’s polling day in a couple of local by-elections in Barnsley and Basingstoke – and also for that very rare of political occurrences, a by-election for an elected mayor. All the very best to Dave Hodgson for taking Bedford today – and do pop by his website or his town if you think you can help out.

2 Big Stories

MPs’ expenses: Tory David Wilshire pays £100,000 to company he owns with girlfriend

Ah yes – MPs expenses – the story that keeps on giving for the Telegraph.

Mr Wilshire claimed for more than three years for office assistance provided by “Moorlands Research Services”. Parliamentary expenses rules forbid MPs from entering into arrangements which “may give rise to an accusation” of profiting from public funds. But on Wednesday night, Mr Wilshire – the MP for Spelthorne in Surrey – admitted that he and his partner, Ann Palmer, were sole owners of the business.

The Telegraph has established that, between 2005 and 2008, Mr Wilshire paid up to £3,250 a month to the business. Extra invoices were also submitted and the total paid to the firm was £105,500. However, there is no official record of the company’s existence and it has never filed public accounts.

NB, this story is about David Wilshire, the Tory MP for Spelthorne, and not about the Tory MP for Wiltshire (North) who is a cad for a whole different set of reasons.

1 Comment

Daily View 2×2: 14 October 2009

By Iain Roberts | Wed 14th October 2009 - 7:30 am

Everyone had fun yesterday watching the previously low profile Trafigura score a spectacular own goal as relatively obscure claims about dumping toxic waste on the Ivory Coast became common knowledge to millions around the world.

But that’s had enough coverage on LDV, so let’s look at something else.

Two big stories

Nick Clegg won’t be winning too many friends around Westminster as he calls for another look to be taken at MPs who indulged in flipping second homes and claiming for sometimes non-existent mortgages. If we’re going to retrospectively re-write the rules for gardening and cleaning, Clegg’s argument goes, let’s have …

2 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 13 October 2009

By Richard Huzzey | Tue 13th October 2009 - 4:03 am

Two big stories

The Grauniad has been gagged:

The Guardian has been prevented from reporting parliamentary proceedings on legal grounds which appear to call into question privileges guaranteeing free speech established under the 1688 Bill of Rights.

Today’s published Commons order papers contain a question to be answered by a minister later this week. The Guardian is prevented from identifying the MP who has asked the question, what the question is, which minister might answer it, or where the question is to be found.

Bonnie Greer and Chris Huhne to tackle Nick Griffin on next week’s Question Time:

The black playwright and author

…

3 Comments

Daily View 2×2: 12 October 2009

By Stephen Tall | Mon 12th October 2009 - 9:45 am

2 Big Stories

MPs’ expenses row re-ignites as MPs question findings of independent inquiry

In case you thought the row had blown itself out, here comes the sequel:

Gordon Brown has urged MPs to repay expenses claimed up to five years ago if asked to do so following an audit ordered after the furore. There are reports that some MPs plan to defy calls to repay money and may challenge the request in the courts.

The PM is among hundreds of MPs expected to be asked to repay sums following a review of all claims by former civil servant Sir Thomas Legg. …

The BBC understands he has set retrospective limits for some items and annual limits on what he believes they should have claimed. These are £1,000 a year for gardening, and £2,000 a year for cleaning. It is believed to have angered some MPs who say they will not repay the money.

Saturday’s Telegraph reported the following snippet:

Last night, the Lib Dems, who are confident that they avoided the worst excesses, stepped up pressure on the Conservatives

Tagged george osborne, gordon brown, mark thompson, matthew oakeshott, mps expenses, peter black, thomas legg and vince cable | 2 Comments

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