Is it just me or is this expenses saga becoming a proper bore? Talk about the pot calling the kettle black: the hypocrisy of media folk trying to take the moral high ground over expenses claims of all things is breathtaking.
But it is fun watching Israel-bashers get dragged into the ‘scandal’. No sooner had we enjoyed a little chuckle at Israel-basher Ben Bradshaw’s expenses hell than an even more hideous man got caught up in the story. Remember those ghastly comparisons between Israel and the Nazis made by Gerald Kaufman during Operation Cast Lead? Well, old Gerald is now under the expenses spotlight, so there is some justice in the world.
The mind races at who might be next. Which Israel-basher would you most like the spotlight to turn to now?
Good to read about Tam Dalyell & his expensive bookcases – what a feeble justification that he needed somewhere to keep his Hansards when he retired. At our expense.Dalyell made the racist claim that Blair was unduly influenced by a “cabal of Jewish advisers”, some of whom were not Jewish but perceived as such by those of Dalyell’s ilk. Personally I’d like to see Baroness Tonge exposed. Before being unjustifiably elevated to the House of Lords, as an MP in the last Parliament, she maintained a flat near Westminster, despite the fact that her Richmond Park constituency was barely 10 miles away. Although this was pre-2005, I still think that it stinks for an outer London MP living relatively close to Central London to have two homes. Other neighbouring LibDem MPs Vince Cable & Ed Davey (whose constituencies were slightly further out) did not claim for second homes. I wonder if she continued to make expenses claims for the central London property after going to the House of Lords? This is something I haven’t yet seen in the papers.
I’d quite like to see Galloway’s expenses and financial dealings given scrutiny and I’d throw in Corbin and the rest of the usual suspects as well.
I’m pleased to see that some of the worst proponents of community division are getting some form of come uppance but I worry greatly about the effect this is going to have at the ballot box.
Clare Short. Oona whatsername. Baroness Tonge.
I do enjoy a cup of schadenfreude of a morning