Ironically, the leading Tory Candidate in Scotland, Struan Stevenson, did exactly this in 2004 -
"He was accused on the Today programme of signing the MEPs' register that declared he was attending meetings in the Belgian capital but then, one hour later, flying back to Scotland while still pocketing the 262 euros (roughly £180) per day expenses for meals and subsistence in Brussels."
As usual, we got the same old excuses - "Mr Stevenson said he had been traduced and that the allowance, which also covered his accommodation costs in Brussels, was claimed by everyone.
This answer, however, only begged further questions - the obvious one being that just because everyone else claimed it, did that make it right for Mr Stevenson to do it, too? And if he was legitimately claiming for his accommodation costs, why did he not pay back that part of the allowance that related to meals in Brussels that he didn't eat?
One MSP, who was not unsympathetic to Mr Stevenson's predicament, nevertheless asked whether the MEP would be happy to pay one of his farm labourers a full day's pay if that man turned up at 8am but then cleared off an hour later."
This is the weakness of the Party List system. Stevenson is a known expenses cheat but he tops the party list. Every vote for the Conservatives goes to him. Obviously the Tory Party see nothing wrong with sending a cheat to Europe to represent them and the average Conservative voter has no choice.
Do you want a journalist to investigate that story and produce a report FOR YOU? Then tell us (info@globalradionews.com) and we'll do that! Please see our website http://www.globalfm.com/
Here is the story: MP's expenses scandal in the UK - so what's up in the rest of Europe?
How does the GERMAN political class gets remunerated, how are expenses checked and approved and by whom?
What happens in the rest of Europe and at the European parliament?
In the light of the recent scandal in the UK, is this something everybody needs to look at?
Some people interested? Get your networks involved, if it's important to YOU, it's important to them. Then vote for the story on http://www.globalfm.com/Stories/Story/sid;52/Joekla_school_shooting_report/
...and if enough people, some of the best journalists in the business will produce it, FOR YOU!
Do you feel the media is ignoring a story that is close to your heart? You can send us your ideas! http://www.globalfm.com/About_Us/Ideas/
GFM wants to empower its users to instigate professional journalistic coverage of stories, issues and current affairs that are not already available through conventional news sources or which, in your view, require more detailed attention.
2 comments:
Ironically, the leading Tory Candidate in Scotland, Struan Stevenson, did exactly this in 2004 -
"He was accused on the Today programme of signing the MEPs' register that declared he was attending meetings in the Belgian capital but then, one hour later, flying back to Scotland while still pocketing the 262 euros (roughly £180) per day expenses for meals and subsistence in Brussels."
As usual, we got the same old excuses - "Mr Stevenson said he had been traduced and that the allowance, which also covered his accommodation costs in Brussels, was claimed by everyone.
This answer, however, only begged further questions - the obvious one being that just because everyone else claimed it, did that make it right for Mr Stevenson to do it, too? And if he was legitimately claiming for his accommodation costs, why did he not pay back that part of the allowance that related to meals in Brussels that he didn't eat?
One MSP, who was not unsympathetic to Mr Stevenson's predicament, nevertheless asked whether the MEP would be happy to pay one of his farm labourers a full day's pay if that man turned up at 8am but then cleared off an hour later."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1460650/An-expensive-opening-round-for-the-Tories-in-the-Euro-contest.html
This is the weakness of the Party List system. Stevenson is a known expenses cheat but he tops the party list. Every vote for the Conservatives goes to him. Obviously the Tory Party see nothing wrong with sending a cheat to Europe to represent them and the average Conservative voter has no choice.
Do you want a journalist to investigate that story and produce a report FOR YOU? Then tell us (info@globalradionews.com) and we'll do that! Please see our website http://www.globalfm.com/
Here is the story: MP's expenses scandal in the UK - so what's up in the rest of Europe?
How does the GERMAN political class gets remunerated, how are expenses checked and approved and by whom?
What happens in the rest of Europe and at the European parliament?
In the light of the recent scandal in the UK, is this something everybody needs to look at?
Some people interested? Get your networks involved, if it's important to YOU, it's important to them. Then vote for the story on http://www.globalfm.com/Stories/Story/sid;52/Joekla_school_shooting_report/
...and if enough people, some of the best journalists in the business will produce it, FOR YOU!
Do you feel the media is ignoring a story that is close to your heart? You can send us your ideas! http://www.globalfm.com/About_Us/Ideas/
GFM wants to empower its users to instigate professional journalistic coverage of stories, issues and current affairs that are not already available through conventional news sources or which, in your view, require more detailed attention.
Post a Comment