Cameron: It’s payback – but not punishment – time
It’s payback, but no punishments – as far as Cameron is concerned.
Cameron confirms that Tory Shadow Cabinet members will pay back some of their more extreme claims – Gove coughs up £7,000 for furniture, Letwin forks out two grand for the tennis court repairs himself, Lansley gets hit for about two and a half grand, Alan Duncan’s £5,000 gardening bill is going to be paid back. Maude and Grayling will no longer claim for their second homes. Villiers will also follow suit “later this year”. Cameron repays eight thousand for a “borderline” maintenace work claim.
New Tory internal rules: claims go online as they are made; “flipping” is banned; capital gains tax will be paid on profits of sales of second homes; no more claims for food and furniture.
No one has been kicked out of the Shadow Cabinet or had the whip removed.
I wonder whether the Tories crime policy would be that the penalty for theft should be that the cash be repaid – but the miscreant should not go to prison.
Nick Clegg is going to have to do better than this if any LibDem MPs are implicated.
On a separate matter, Norman Tebbit is given a warning that he is walking a fine line (urging people to vote UKIP on June 4th, in a national newspaper, is apparently consistent with retaining the Tory whip in the Lords).
May 12th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Cameron: You have just blown it!!! Come on Boris now is your chance.
May 12th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
So what are you recommending Clegg does with Rennard?
May 12th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
Given that we will probably get all of the LibDem accusations tomorrow, Nick should deal with them all as a piece.
May 12th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
The Tory Lords are revolting! (well one is)…
May 12th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
There is real anger at this. Clegg has to show leadership and deal with miscreants severely. Kick them out and let’s have some by elections.
May 12th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Couldn’t agree more. Sooner the expenses are published, in full, so that we can see what our own local incumbent MP has been doing – and then a General Election called – the better.
If there’s any justice in this world those that have taken liberties (in both senses) will go.
May 12th, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Cameron is disingenuous to say the least. Essentially letting these crooks get away with their scams just because they have paid the money back which is in itself an admission of guilt.
Your header “looking forward to freedom” is a bit misleading isn’t it? Don’t the LibDems want to implement the Lisbon Treaty without inconveniencing themselves with democracy in the form of a referendum as promised?
You should be contemplating a mass repeal of all the draconian legislation passed over the last 12 years. Oh, you can’t, your EU masters won’t allow you to do that will they.
Who will be in charge of the Free Speech Department in your forward look to freedom? Chris Huhne?
May 13th, 2009 at 5:06 am
Looking on the bright side, doesn’t Cameron look masterful when he’s trying to do the angry thing in that photo.
For a pissed off teenager I mean…:)