Efforts to portray every nearly single benefit claimant as “on the fiddle” stepped up a gear at the weekend with the DWP briefing the media with tabloid-ready “bizarre benefit fraud excuses”, including: “We don’t live together – he just comes each morning to fill his flask.” “I was carrying the ladders for therapy.” “I never [...]
Tag Archives: expenses scandal
Nadine Dorries admits: I'm a liar!
It seems the honourable member for Mid Bedfordshire is finally coming to terms with her own mendacity. Desperation to escape the attentions of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards has seen Nadine Dorries lay claim to the concept of “fiction-based political blogging” in respect of her taxpayer-funded website: “My blog is 70% fiction and 30% fact … I rely heavily [...]
Somerset Tory Ian Liddell-Grainger tops Parliamentary nepotism league
“You get what pay for”, said Tory Ian Liddell-Grainger when defending the largest MP expense claims in the South West. “The majority of the money has been spent on staff costs. I employ slightly more people than most but they are a really good team.” So who are is superhuman troupe toiling day and night for the [...]
In praise of Beau Bo D'Or
Cartoonist cum graphic artist cum video creative Beau Bo D’Or produces some of the most ingenious and skilfully executed visual satire full stop and the best on the British blogosphere by a country mile. It was therefore with some sadness that Scrapbook read he is taking a short break from blogging, which has been light recently [...]
Westminster STOP: CCHQ intervene on office services expenses scheme run by Tory MP's wife
A shady scheme which would send £10,000s of office expenses the way of two parliamentary staffers has been shut down by Conservative Party enforcers. Westminster START intended to charge Conservative MPs £2,500 per year plus VAT to perform rudimentary staff management. The initiative was developed by Sam Mackewn and the Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Women’s Organisation Eve [...]
Derek Conway's goodbye email
Derek Conway of “I’m going to pay my son £40k for nothing” fame is labouring under the delusion that the whole of parliament wants to keep in touch with him when the Estate bids him good riddance. The following email was sent to 645 MPs yesterday afternoon: According to Wikipedia (so it must be true), [...]
Video: Tory Bear doorsteps Sarah Teather office in Brent
It may no longer be the only blog with a weekly video (click here if you haven’t seen Conor Pope’s vlog) but Guy News is becoming required viewing – even for guilty lefties who quickly alt-tab back to The Staggers when surprised by a comrade. In an act of Labour/Conservative non-partisanship unlikely to be repeated [...]
EXCLUSIVE: Sarah Teather charged £1,700 of Lib Dem furniture, insurance and telephone bills to expenses
Brent East MP Sarah Teather has been dogged this week by revelations about expense claims for her constituency office and allegations that taxpayer money has been used for political campaigning (all articles here). Scrapbook can today disclose that, in addition to bills for her Parliamentary office, Sarah Teather has claimed for invoices worth £1,700 addressed to her local political party. Despite [...]
