Tag Archives: simon hughes

Simon Hughes’ desperate bid to airbrush his support for Health Bill

3:01pm Tue April 10th

An email from Simon Hughes is hilarious in its blatant hypocrisy, with the London MP attempting to paint himself as principled opponent of aspects of the Health Bill – despite his steadfast support for it throughout its passage through parliament.

Challenged by the leader of Southwark Council to explain his position on Andrew Lansley’s reforms, Hughes took a month to respond, finally sending a confused reply six days after the legislation had received royal assent:

HYPOCRISY 1: Hughes writes that “When introduced [the Bill] there was an unacceptable emphasis given to the role of the private sector” — so why did he vote for it at every stage?
HYPOCRISY 2: In March, Hughes called for the Bill’s risk register to be published, saying that the Liberal Democrats’ reputation as supporters of freedom of information was at risk. But in the email seen by Scrapbook, he says “governments are entitled to resist requests for information provided they follow the law”.
HYPOCRISY 3: Hughes writes: “It is the results that count, not the noise or visibility of the process by which you achieve the result.” This is coming from the man who said Lansley should resign just to deflect attention away from his own support for the Bill.

Hughes has a history of saying one thing and then voting very differently — he was even caught lying about abstaining on crucial housing votes.

And he has repeatedly tried to justify his support for the Bill by saying the NHS was a Liberal idea in the first place, writing that he is a “a political son of William Beveridge”.

Beveridge would be rolling in his grave if he knew Hughes was calling him Dad.

Simon Hughes says one thing and votes for the other (yet again)

1:18pm Mon January 16th

4 comments

With this latest hypocrisy centering on the Welfare Reform Bill, Simon Hughes has yet again been caught out saying one thing, but doing another.

Hughes’ weekend assault on the media, in which he called for the abandonment of the government’s proposed benefit cap, led to the claim that the bill would be rejected in both the Commons and the Lords in its current format.

But, a quick glance over Commons voting records reveal that back in June 2011 the influential Lib Dem stood with the Tories wholeheartedly on the bill.

Far from Hughes’ first dalliance with duplicity (see here, here or here), the Liberal Democrat has clearly developed somewhat of a Jekyll and Hyde complex during the Lib Dems time in Coalition.

As we’ve asked before: Would the real Simon Hughes please stand up?!

Photo shows Simon Hughes’ contempt for car park etiquette

11:04am Wed July 13th

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It seems the Liberal Democrats can’t even park their cars without it going decidedly crooked.

A photo has emerged of deputy leader Simon Hughes’ ostentatious yellow taxi, parked at what can only be described as a jaunty angle.

Labour MP Barry Gardiner was decidedly unimpressed, tweeting “What is it about this guy that makes him think it’s OK to park like this?”

Hughes has become semi-famous for driving around in the canary coloured Hackney Carriage, which runs on biofuel and has his name emblazoned on the sides.

At least parking services will know where to send the ticket.

Tory MP drives car with his own face printed on the side

5:13pm Thu June 16th

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When it comes to transport, could there be an outbreak of one-upmanship amongst coalition MPs? While the conflicted Simon Hughes is escorted round Bermondsey in a bright yellow taxi bearing his name, Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker drives round with his own face emblazoned across his car.

The sporty Peuguot coupe, which Scrapbook understands to be a relatively new purchase, looks capable of making speedy progress up the M1 to West Yorkshire. With a political reputation at stake, however, personalised livery would provide any MP with a significant incentive to obey the laws of the road.

Perhaps Eastleigh Liberal Democrats should get one.

UPDATE: One commenter has pointed out that this should send Whittaker’s car insurance premium through the roof. Is this paint job not an invitation to vandals?

Simon Hughes to star in new film

8:16pm Tue June 7th

1 comment

Coming to a statute book near you soon, LIB/DEM is a gripping psychodrama in which a confused middle-aged man leads a double life, telling the world he’ll do one thing but secretly doing another. Can our protagonist please his bosses or will he be exposed as a charlatan?

With mixed reviews, it remains uncertain whether Bermondsey and Old Southwark will commission a sequel.

Simon Hughes caught out saying one thing but voting for another (again)

11:37am Mon June 6th

4 comments

Last week, Scrapbook exposed Simon Hughes for claiming inconvenient votes on secure tenancies did not occur. We can now bring you yet another example of the Liberal Democrats’ deputy leader saying one thing but doing another.

In a debate on the Localism Bill, Hughes said communities should be empowered to restrain the expansion of betting shops on high streets:

“It is really important that the community will be able to say, ‘We don’t want that parade to end up all off licences or betting shops. We want there to be a greengrocer, a fishmonger or a baker.’”

Hughes then made his support clear by, erm, voting against himself.

Bookmakers can currently dodge planning permission by taking over banks, estate agents, takeaways or restaurants without any council oversight for the change in usage. An amendment to place them in a “Use Class” of their own, just like casinos and gaming arcades, was voted down with support from “honest Simon”.

Hughes has been a member of parliament for 28 years. Does he not realise that the votes are recorded?

Simon Hughes lies about abstaining on crucial housing votes

10:55am Mon May 30th

23 comments

Such is the cognitive dissonance of “social democrat” Simon Hughes that he is now pretending certain parliamentary votes did not occur. Thousands of his constituents are affected by proposals in the Localism Bill which will allow local authorities and housing associations to offer fixed tenancies for a minimum of two years, rather than secure lifetime tenancies.

With local residents up in arms over the plans, Hughes issued a press release last week which stated:

“There was no vote in Parliament last week to end secure tenancies in future in Southwark or anywhere else – if there had been I certainly would have voted against it.”

But it seems the dizzying altitude of Hughes’ office on the sixth floor of Portcullis House is playing tricks with his memory. Hughes spoke in the report stage for the bill, to which his press release refers, but couldn’t be bothered to vote on the following amendments.

Amendment 13 – removing flexible tenancies from the bill
Amendment 271 – guaranteeing tenants with security of tenure that this can’t be taken away if they need to move homes

As more than 500 of his colleagues voted it seems unlikely these divisions could have escaped the notice of this coalition fig leaf and “university access tsar”.

Proposals could mean tenants are subjected to an assessment of their income and family circumstances after just eighteen months in their home, providing a disincentive to to apply for higher paid jobs and forcing couples to leave their family home after their children move out.

Could the real Simon Hughes please stand up?

Is nothing sacred? MPs may be charged for car parking!

1:23pm Wed November 3rd

2 comments

In a move liable to upset motoring MPs, the Clerk of the House has written to members outlining a range of possible cost saving measures, including charging for the use of the 496-space underground car park. Though many lawmakers avail themselves of free facilities, a season ticket at Westminster City Council’s Abingdon car park next to the Parliamentary Estate costs an eye watering £4,855 per year! Members were informed by email:

We are also exploring ways to generate income to offset our costs, including … Charging for some services that have hitherto been free, such as for car parking on the Estate.

The House management plan to reduce the costs of their services by at least 17 percent in real terms by 2014/15 “in line with reductions being made across the wider public sector”. MPs may have to do without a number of perks, including full table service at some catering outlets.

Other possible cost savings in yesterday’s email from Malcolm Jack include:

Ending the printing of some documents, such as the telephone directory, instead making them available on the web.
Reducing some of Parliament’s public engagement activities.
Reducing the value of the House’s contract with the Hansard Society.
Maximising rental income from commercial properties on Bridge Street and Parliament Street.
Charging to recover the cost of some tours such as visits to the Clock Tower.

As MPs acclimatise to the chill winds of austerity sweeping through SW1A there is one topic of conversation in the Commons tearoom this afternoon:

Where is Simon Hughes going to park his taxi?

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