From British daily The Morning Star:
London mayor‘s deputy resigns
EXPENSES SCANDAL: One of London Mayor Boris Johnson‘s deputies has resigned over his misuse of a corporate credit card.
Deputy Mayor for Government and External Relations Ian Clement was reprimanded earlier this month for using the card to buy personal items in a breach of Greater London Authority regulations.
Mr Johnson initially stood by Mr Clement following press revelations last week that he spent £2,300 on personal expenditure using a City Hall credit card.
Ian Clement is, of course, far from being the only British politician in an expenses scandal.
He also certainly is not the only Conservative Boris Johnson sidekick who had to resign in disgrace.
Boris Johnson‘s chief of staff faces questions over lax expenses regime: here.
Boris Johnson’s disgraced former deputy mayor has been charged with fraud over the alleged misuse of his expenses. Ian Clement, 44, the former deputy mayor for external relations, has been charged with five counts of fraud, each relating to meals paid for using his corporate credit card: here.
Conservative leadership oppose Boris Johnson on Crossrail and greater mayoral powers: here.
January 2011: The RSPB is dismissing, yet again, the expensive campaign for an International Airport hub in the Thames Estuary, being led by Mayor of London, Boris Johnson: here.
Conservative MPs will be forced to pay back an extra £125,000 in expenses, it has been announced: here.
Conservative Shadow chancellor George Osborne is facing a sleaze probe over his second home expenses: here.
TWO senior Conservative councillors launched a vicious internet campaign against their own [Trafford] town hall leader – branding her ‘clueless’ and comparing her to Hitler: here.
Margaret Beckett expenses scandal: here.
Jobcentre Plus worker Mark Anthony France has been sacked for organising a petition calling on his local MP Julie Kirkbride, who has been mired in the expenses scandal, to stand down: here.
Dear Kitty. Some blog 
PCS slams decision to discipline rep
MPs’ expenses: Civil Service union PCS has expressed outrage at the decision to discipline its rep Mark France on charges of petitioning for disgraced Tory MP Julie Kirkbride to stand down over her expenses.
“This outrageous move is a clear attempt to use the Civil Service code to crush the basic right of ordinary people to hold their so-called superiors to account,” the union said in a statement.
“It is a striking contrast to how management have treated far-right party BNP candidates in the Civil Service.”
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/britain/news_in_brief__21
LikeLike
Johnson adviser refereed to police
Expenses scandal: London’s City Hall has formally referred a sacked adviser to Mayor Boris Johnson to police over allegations he misused a credit card.
Ian Clement resigned as Mr Johnson’s deputy mayor for external relations on Monday after three Conservative council leaders denied having dined with Mr Clement on occasions when he listed them as his guests.
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/britain/news_in_brief__22
LikeLike
MP Reid claimed £9000 for home refurbishments
Jun 24 2009 by Robert Mitchell, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
AIRDRIE and Shotts MP John Reid claimed nearly £9000 for home refurbishments in his Parliamentary expenses and also submitted bills for a £600 LCD television, a bar tip and even a 48p toilet cleaner.
The revelations came when the House of Commons last week published MPs’ receipts dating back to 2004, and showed that Dr Reid has claimed a total of £499,168 in allowances during that period.
He has been reimbursed by the taxpayer for individual items ranging from a Sony Ericsson Z200 mobile phone at £139.99 and £50 in accompanying top-up vouchers right down to the toilet cleaner from Morrisons.
Included in between were a fridge, microwave, digital radio, set-top box and scart cable, a £17.99 box of Coffret Guanaja chocolates; and at the lower end of the cost scale three gift bags (£2.70), Typhoo tea bags (£2.58), tobacco (£1.36) and Canderel mints (£1.19).
The 62-year-old, who has previously filled the offices of home, defence and health secretary, claimed £3773 for services and maintenance in his additional costs allowance in February 2007.
Of that total, £1328 went on tiles and £2387 on a new bathroom, including two gold bath and taps kits (£539.99 each), two 9.5kw electric showers (£240), two stainless steel cabinets (£179.98), a shell toilet and sink pack (£159.99).
Receipts were also submitted for a white pivot door (£99), two double towel rails (£79.98), a castone tray (£75), a side panel (£67.50), three toilet rings (£59.97), a mirror (£49.99), a bath screen (£49), chrome basin taps (£39.99), two toilet roll holders (£39.98), a light (£29.99), two mahogany bath panels (£25 each), a gold shower trap (£14.99), a 50-watt mains voltage six pack (£14.99) and the now-infamous £29.99 black glitter toilet seat.
He also spent £24.99 on Malaki natural bed linen and £9.99 for a cream light shade – but after selling the property a month later, Dr Reid returned much of the cost of the new bathroom in a cheque for £1886 sent to the Parliamentary Fees Office.
Despite only having mortgage payments of £80 per month, the Airdrie and Shotts MP claimed £20,596 in second home allowance between April 2006 and March 2007, and spent a total of £8890 of taxpayers’ money refurbishing his constituency home.
His expenses also include a £79.95 purchase from Flowers Plus on Broomknoll Street in the town centre in September/October 2006, while the £64,766-per-year politician also claimed for a £1.50 bar tip and £5 laundry charge at a hotel in February 2007.
Dr Reid’s reading habits include The Islamist, Londonistan and The Meaning of the 21st Century, purchased at WH Smith in 2007 for £25.97 with a £7.99 book light, women’s fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar (£3.60) and Private Eye (£1.50).
Between 2001 and March 2008, the former Cabinet minister claimed a total of £881,579 in Parliamentary allowances.
The Advertiser made several attempts to contact Dr Reid, but he has yet to reply to an e-mailed list of questions requested by his office.
However, he told us last month: “When I moved, after staying in the same constituency home for more than 21 years, all legitimate costs were approved and were within the rules of the House of Commons authorities.”
http://www.acadvertiser.co.uk/lanarkshire-news/local-news/airdrie-news/2009/06/24/mp-reid-claimed-9000-for-home-refurbishments-65864-23957072/
LikeLike
Candidate named for Norwich North
Politics: Labour has named its candidate for the Norwich North by-election which was sparked by the resignation of Ian Gibson in the expenses row.
Chris Ostrowski said it was a “privilege” to have been selected to stand in the crucial contest.
By coincidence, Mr Ostrowski works for the retailer that came to symbolise the Westminster allowances culture, John Lewis.
Dr Gibson opted to quit this month after Labour’s “Star Chamber” panel barred him from standing at the next general election.
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/britain/news_in_brief__26
LikeLike
Conservative judge suspended
Legal: Senior Judge Gerald Price QC has been suspended while allegations printed about his private life in a tabloid newspaper are investigated.
The Office for Judicial Complaints announced that Judge Price would not be able to work while the claims made earlier this month about a nine-month fling with a £250-a-night rent boy are probed.
Judge Price, who normally sits in Swansea, Carmarthen and Cardiff Crown Courts, has stood unsuccessfully at three general elections as a Tory parliamentary candidate.
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/britain/news_in_brief__27
LikeLike
Police to probe peer’s expenses
MP scandal: Scotland Yard is investigating Tory peer Lord Hanningfield, who claimed tens of thousands of pounds in overnight allowances despite living just 46 miles from Westminster.
The Daily Telegraph has identified the Tory frontbench transport spokesman. He also leader of Essex County Council and has a full-time chauffeur provided at taxpayers’ expense.
The Telegraph said that his claims totalled £100,000 over seven years.
http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/britain/news_in_brief__30
LikeLike
Nice topic! I learned something. Keep updating.
LikeLike
Pingback: English airport plan threatens birds | Dear Kitty. Some blog
Pingback: Will British Conservatives lose election? | Dear Kitty. Some blog
Pingback: British Conservative apologies on homophobia | Dear Kitty. Some blog
Pingback: British Conservative Olympic failure | Dear Kitty. Some blog
Pingback: British Conservatives link up with Latvian Waffen SS | Dear Kitty. Some blog
Pingback: London De Menezes memorial mosaic | Dear Kitty. Some blog
Pingback: British Conservative Party expenses scandal deepens | Dear Kitty. Some blog