Jim Ferguson

Posts Tagged ‘expenses’

Danny Alexander LibDem MP

MP’s and their expenses are under ever greater scrutiny than ever before and rightly so. Some are legitimate expenses and others are bordering on outright fraud.

I found it interesting to note from the article in the Press and Journal the amount of expenses claimed by a number of Scottish MP’s which were well into the top 50 as far as amounts actually claimed.

Danny Alexander is among the highest expense claims of MP’s at Westminster. It led me to wonder if all that money for these MP’s was money well spent. While the likes of Danny Alexander claim a large geographical area as the reason for such huge expenses claimed we cannot forget the fact that its not all fares.

Not so long ago he was approached as were all the local parties to make a contribution to the Blythwood food bank appeal that was trying desperately hard to assist the poor who had no food to eat here in the Highland capital of Inverness and the surrounding area.

I had raised close to £1000 of food aid which had also come from donations from Conservative Party members and I had thought that a cross party effort would have gone a long way to helping those in need.

Danny refused to help and stated that he thought it more important to talk about the situation than to donate anything to it.

Ofcourse at that time few of us knew that every piece of food that Danny put in his mouth was paid for by the taxpayer from expenses he claimed. All legitimate ofcourse. At least as far as the law was concerned.

I am wondering what actual worth some of these MP’s actually bring though. Sure they can appear in the newspapers and opine on this and that on a regular basis.

Danny talks a lot but in my opinion and many others actions speak louder than words.

Are MP’s like Danny Alexander worth the investment ? With a bit of luck we will find out soon enough once people here in the Highlands look at the real worth of those who claim to be working so hard on our behalf.

Jim Ferguson

North and north-east members in top 50

Chairman of Scottish affairs committee was most expensive in 2009-10

Published: 05/02/2010

NINE MPs representing seats in the north and north-east were revealed last night to be among the 50 most expensive at Westminster in the last financial year.

The MP with the highest expenses for 2009-10 was Glasgow East Labour MP and Scottish affairs committee chairman Mohammed Sarwar, who is retiring at the general election – expected in May.

He racked up £192,986 in second homes allowance claims, travel expenses, office costs, computer costs and staff pay.

But his example was closely followed by MPs north of the central belt.

Moray MP Angus Robertson, ranked third most costly, last night defended his £188,164 claim. He said it was partly caused by the extra expense resulting from opening a second constituency office at Keith, and partly high travel costs.

He said: “Given the unpredictability of parliamentary schedules, weekly commuting arrangements often have to be made at short notice, which sadly adds to the travel costs.

“Constituents rightly expect you to attend to issues and events locally as well as with matters at Westminster on a weekly basis.”

He added: “The biggest cost saving from Westminster will come when Scotland is independent and we don’t need to send MPs there at all. I am focused on making that happen as quickly as possible.

At just £539 a year lower, Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Liberal Democrat MP Danny Alexander, also blamed travel costs, driving round one of the biggest constituencies in the UK and commuting back and forth between Inverness and London.

Linlithgow and Falkirk East Labour MP Michael Connarty and Falkirk Labour MP Eric Joyce, at fourth and fifth, were only a few pence less.

Mr Joyce — frequently at or near the top of the expenses league — also cited travel between his home in Falkirk and London as the reason his expenses remain high, pointing out that MPs have to fly on expensive open tickets because they do not know their arrangements very far ahead.

Aberdeen North MP Frank Doran came in at No 12 in the table, claiming £182,139.

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Lib Dem MP John Thurso, at No 22, claimed £178,689, Dundee West Labour MP Jim McGovern, 23, £178,597, and Gordon Lib Dem MP Malcolm Bruce, 24, £178,230.

Perth and North Perthshire SNP MP Pete Wishart was 34th with £175,896.

The cheapest was First Minister Alex Salmond, also SNP MP for Banff and Buchan, 533rd, but he rarely appeared in Westminster, claiming £131,316, mainly in staff costs. Western Isles SNP MP Angus MacNeil was 431st, claiming £141,583.

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Surely politicians would be more aware of the public feelings at unnecessary waste of public funds.
Seems Alex Salmond considers himself above such criticism.

Jim Ferguson

Backlash at Salmond after dentist invited to functions
First minister accused of wasting public money

Published: 11/11/2009

OPPOSITION parties last night accused Alex Salmond of wasting public cash after it emerged he invited his dentist to two official functions.

Murray Bremner and his wife Jane were among 19 guests at a dinner in Bute House, the first minister’s official residence in Edinburgh, in August 2007.

The dinner was held after a performance of the Edinburgh Tattoo and other guests included financier Sir Angus Grossart and his wife Lady Grossart, and the then Speaker of the Commons, Michael Martin and his wife.

The Bremners were also among the guests at a Runrig dinner held at Scone Palace in Perthshire on August 29 this year. Mr Bremner said he did not know why he had been invited. He said of Mr Salmond: “He’s an affable chap and we just get on reasonably well.”

And he added: “Maybe there’s a list he goes down and he gets to 96 and he invites me, I don’t know.”

But Labour leader Iain Gray said: “This misuse of funds shows the first minister’s disregard for public money. At the very least he should pay the money back.”

And Tory leader Annabel Goldie said: “I think it is absolutely disgraceful he feels he can treat his dentist to a night out courtesy of the public but I’m afraid this is all too typical of Alex Salmond.”

But a spokesman for Mr Salmond accused his critics of “silly party politicking” and said that, unlike previous administrations, the Scottish Government proactively published guest lists.

“It is normal practice under successive administrations for ministers to provide hospitality to invited guests at a range of events – even Christmas receptions for journalists.” He said Mr Salmond invited his dentist “because he was inviting a range of guests”.

The Scone supper took place before a concert to celebrate the arrival of a stone carving which formed part of the official Homecoming programme, and the concert was attended by 15,000 people.

The event also saw the launch by Mr Salmond of a not-for-profit charitable initiative, he said.

Press and Journal.

“All first ministers and before them secretaries of state had invited guest to a range of events. This has been totally normal, totally appropriate – the only difference is that we publish the information.”

Read more – Original article link

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