Moonlighting MPs


The latest edition of Private Eye - the fortnightly satirical magazine - also contains an topical tale about Gordon Brown - the former Labour leader and sometime MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath.

EX-PM'S QUESTIONS

A reare sighting of former prime minister Gordon Brown - not in Westminster but Dubai.

In the latets register of MPs' interests, Brown revealed that earlier this year he attended the United Arab Emirates "government summit" a shindig put on by Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to give his authoritarian and undemocratic kingdom a gloss of statesmanship.

Brown was persuaded to speak for three hours by the payment of £62,000 along with £29,000 for "flights, transport and accommodation" for himself and his staff. Other speakers  included two major-generals in the Dubai police force.

He opined on the need for investment in education - but it's a shame he wasn't invited to talk about human rights. The update to his entry in the MPs register was published in April - just as the current prime minister was raising concerns with the Dubai regime about its treatment of three Londoners who, jailed in Dubai for possessing cannabis, said they were tortured into confession by the local police.

On a prudent note, Browns' entries in the register all point out that: I am not receiving any money from this engagement personally. It is being held by the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown for the employment of staff to support my ongoing involvement in public life." So that's all right then.

Now that's as maybe, but two things jump out at me.

The first is that in claiming £29,000 worth of expenses, Gordon Brown - a 'son of the manse', of course - must have developed rather expensive tastes to rack up that much in 'flights, transport and accommodation'.

The second is that for for the duration of Gordon's trip to Dubai and back he was being paid for doing his day job as an MP - which doesn't sound like a particularly good use of taxpayers' money.

I notice, for example, that around 150 MPs failed to appear in the House of Commons for the recent vote on same sex marriage - and I wonder if Gordon Brown was one of the absentees? 

I must find the time to check the Parliamentary voting records.      

Popular posts from this blog

LGB Rights - Hijacked By Intolerant Zealots!

Image
Now that we're a month away from the month formerly known as June, we can think about what's happened. Given the new events being rolled out in London, Manchester and across the States, I think this sums up the *erm* transition of Pride. H/T @LGBNOW pic.twitter.com/HL87yIXXHg — Fred Sargeant (@FredSargeant) August 2, 2023 No doubt about it - the once proud campaign in support of lesbian and gay rights has been hijacked by intolerant trans zealots!     
Read more

SNP - Conspiracy of Silence

Image
So here's the issue - two Glasgow MSPs (Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf) have been asked a reasonable question about their use of public money to employ two SNP councillors who already have full-time, salaried jobs as senior elected members of Glasgow City Council.   But these two public servants (both long-serving ministers) refuse to answer, so what to do next? One regular reader suggests raising the matter on the floor of the Scottish Parliament which is a good idea, but requires an MSP who's prepared to put down a written question for Scottish Ministers to answer. So here's a list of activities which will help shine a light on what has been going on because as Lord Nolan once said apropos driving up standards in public life - 'daylight is the best disinfectant'. Write to the leader of Glasgow City Council Write to the Chief Executive of Glasgow City Council Write to all elected members in Glasgow City Council Write to the party leaders in Glasgow City Council W
Read more