The expenses scandal takes another turn as the Noble Lords are largely let off, and given free reign to continue plundering the British taxpayer — you and me — to the tune of thousands a year.
The low-down comes from Guido Fawkes, King of the Bloggers, who came close to a full-scale punch-up last week with Tim Yeo on Newsnight . British television at its best. And anyone who upsets Tim Yeo can’t be all bad. Read the detail here.
Michael Pownall, who is a Parliamentary flunkey of some kind, has “clarified ” the Lords’ position for those that broke the rules on expenses. He has wagged a reproving finger at nine of them, and referred a tenth for extra lessons.
And further good news for ex-LibDem CEO Lord Rennard, who stands accused of claiming £41,000 for overnight expenses, when he owns a house just a stone’s throw from the Lords. Read more about the complaint filed by the Sunlight Centre here. The complaint was rejected after Lord Rennard offered his “assurances “.
Get Out of Jail Free
Pownall achieved his weasel-wobble by climbing through a miniscule loophole, and emerging the other side, triumphantly declaring that the rules failed to include a definition of “main address”. Likewise, there was no definition of such words as “fraud “, “deception ” and “greedy bastards ” either.
The number of Men of Honour grows ever smaller, and Parliament sinks deeper into the slime of its own making.