MPs expenses will be back in the public eye again as Sir Thomas Legg publishes his final report. As a result, the BBC will doubtless have recourse to its old habit of stressing Conservative expense claims above Labour ones.
**
I thought I'd test out this hypothesis by seeing what's on the BBC News website this morning. It's the main story there:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8496729.stm
*
Only one MP is singled out for attention by the article and, yes, he's a Tory:
Among them is Conservative Bernard Jenkin, who had been asked to repay £63,250 - the highest amount known - after renting his second home from his sister-in-law. This practice was banned in 2006. He has said his repayment has been reduced to £36,250.
Here we go again!
And this despite the fact that most of the MPs and Peers being considered for prosecution are Labour.
ReplyDeleteCan the BBC publish a list of the amounts MPs have been asked to pay back analysed by Party and the amounts already paid back ?
Report in today's DT that the Legg enquiry will publish details of over 350 MPs asked to repay over £1 m.
ReplyDeleteIf, as I suspect, Labour are the worst offenders, how will the BBC spin it ?
PS. Legg report published today. Details on BBC website, but not analysed by Party. So to find out which party is the worst offender you have to total the individual entries.
ReplyDeleteThe BBC says the figures are £454,744 for Labour, followed by £448,094 for the Conservatives, then £42.945 for the Lib Dems and £38,240 for all the others.
ReplyDeletehttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8496729.stm
It's hard luck for them about a Labour MP (and minister), Barbara Follett, coming out as the worst offender.
My new bete noire Norman Smith dredged up the moat and the duckhouse on 'Today', though not the bell-tower. I wonder why he forgot Labour minister Quentin Davies's bell-tower.
That is much closer between Labour and Conservative than I expected.
ReplyDeleteWhat first attracted Barbara Follett to multi-millionaire author Ken Follett ? Have the BBC referred to her wealthy background ?