Fraud challenge to home secretary – BBC News
“A man has appeared in court to try to start a private prosecution against the home secretary over her expense claims.”
BBC News, 22nd May 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: parliament
Could the Queen really dissolve Parliament now? – The Times
“Thinking the unthinkable is what constitutional lawyers are paid to do. Many are now saying that with the daily revelations about improper expenses claims from beleaguered MPs the Queen should step in and dissolve Parliament — against the Government’s wishes — forcing a general election to compel MPs to stand for immediate re-election after a scandal on the scale of that of the pre 1832 rotten boroughs. Trust has now been destroyed. It can, so the argument runs, be rebuilt only by a neutral third party, the Queen, and not by a self-interested and wholly discredited cabal of politicians.”
The Times, 21st May 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Expenses: in the spirit of the rules? – The Times
“A police investigation into the MPs expenses scandal will swiftly identify false accounting as the criminal offence most likely to have been committed by the most egregious of the SW1 claimants.”
The Times, 21st May 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Met chief prepared to launch inquiries into alleged misuse of MPs’ expenses – The Guardian
“Paul Stephenson says police will investigate MPs where warranted, while union calls on Labour’s NEC to outline deselection process for MPs found guilty of claims misuse.”
The Guardian, 18th May 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Expenses scandal: proving MPs committed fraud would be difficult – The Times
“The furore over allowances claimed by Members of Parliament has produced strong reactions from members of the public, including suggestions that criminal offences have been committed. There has been speculation in the media, suitably restrained for obvious reasons, that some cases might attract the attention of the Revenue or other authorities. There may have been complaints made to the police.”
The Times, 15th May 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Two Labour peers face suspension for offering to change law for money – The Guardian
“Two Labour peers face suspension from the House of Lords until the autumn after being found guilty of offering to try to change the law in return for money.”
The Guardian, 14th May 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Police called in over leaks as more MPs accused – The Times
“MPs defied their own legal advice last night and asked the police to investigate how expenses details had been offered for sale to newspapers.”
The Times, 9th May 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Lords in sleaze row could lose their peerages – Daily Telegraph
“Peers will be expelled from the House of Lords if they break the law under new powers being proposed in the wake of the cash for amendments controversy.”
Daily Telegraph, 19th March 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Caroline Spelman to repay nanny expenses – The Independent
“Conservative frontbencher Caroline Spelman last night agreed to repay £9,600 after parliamentary anti-sleaze watchdogs found she broke Commons rules by paying taxpayers’ money to her children’s nanny.”
The Independent, 4th March 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Stepfather of David Cameron’s wife seeks to challenge sleaze legislation – Daily Telegraph
“Lord Astor, the stepfather of David Cameron’s wife, is seeking to block legislation which would force peers to pay tax in the UK or resign from the House of Lords.”
Daily Telegraph, 22nd February 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, says she did not break rules – Daily Telegraph
“Jacqui Smith has said her controversial second home allowance that has forced a Commons inquiry was not against the rules.”
Daily Telegraph, 22nd February 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to be investigated over allowances – Daily Telegraph
“Jacqui Smith, the British Home Secretary, will face a formal sleaze inquiry after claiming thousands of pounds in tax payer-funded housing allowances while lodging with her sister.”
Daily Telegraph, 18th February 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Police will not investigate ‘cash for amendments’ allegations – The Guardian
“Labour peers accused of attempting to change the law in favour of companies employing them will not be investigated by the police, Scotland Yard said today.”
The Guardian, 11th February 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Complaint lodged with watchdog over Smith’s expenses – The Independent
“A complaint has been made to the parliamentary sleaze watchdog about Home Secretary Jacqui Smith claiming allowances for a second home while living as a lodger with her sister, it was confirmed today.”
The Independent, 9th February 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
Independent watchdog should be appointed to clean up Lords, says Whitehall standards regulator – Daily Telegraph
“An independent watchdog should immediately be appointed to clean up the House of Lords, Sir Christopher Kelly, the official Whitehall standards regulator, says.”
Daily Telegraph, 6th February 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Senior Met officer to review Lords corruption claims – The Guardian
“John Yates, the Scotland Yard assistant commissioner who headed the ‘cash for honours’ inquiry, is to review whether four Labour peers should face a police inquiry, it was announced yesterday.”
The Guardian, 30th January 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Peers face suspension in House of Lords ‘laws for sale’ inquiry – The Times
“The House of Lords embarked on a hasty damage-limitation exercise yesterday by preparing new powers to suspend any member found to have broken the rules in the ‘cash for peers’ crisis.”
The Times, 27th January 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
MPs defy the judges to keep ‘John Lewis’ expenses list secret – The Times
“Details of MPs’ claims for plasma televisions, furniture and cleaning bills will be kept secret after Harriet Harman bowed to backbenchers’ pressure to stop expenses claims being published.”
The Times, 16th January 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Call to stop ex-ministers cashing in on contacts – The Independent
“Former ministers can exploit loose and ambiguous guidelines on lobbying to cash in ‘with impunity’ on their inside knowledge of Westminster, a Commons committee warns.”
The Independent, 5th January 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
