Tuesday 12th May 2009Britain's leading conservative blog | |
| Today's top ConservativeHome features
Bill Melotti on Platform: We must never reverse Freedom of Information legislation Local government: Should councillors be representative of modern Britain? WATCH: The anti-BNP video that was posted yesterday, taken down by YouTube is now back up Tories below 40% in new poll Tories down 4% in poll conducted BEFORE Telegraph turned its attention to chandaliers, moats and swimming pools
Today's other newslinks
How shameless top Tories claimed expenses for swimming pools, helipads, chandeliers... and even a moat - Daily Mail "Senior Conservatives have claimed tens of thousands of pounds for work on their country estates - including a £380 bill for horse manure." - Sky News David Davis, the council estate lad who claimed £5,700 for a portico - Telegraph David Heathcoat-Amory dumps 550 sacks of manure on taxpayer - Telegraph Clearing the moat at Douglas Hogg’s manor - Telegraph Michael Ancram put the cost of having his swimming pool boiler serviced on his taxpayer-funded parliamentary allowances - Telegraph Stewart Jackson claimed more than £66,000 for his family home including hundreds of pounds on refurbishing his swimming pool - Telegraph > Yesterday evening's ToryDiary reviewed the latest allegations Philip Stephens defends MPs... "The disclosures will undoubtedly reinforce a perception that politicians cannot be trusted. My own experience of following politics has persuaded me otherwise. The majority of MPs are decent men and women who want to change things. Ambitious? Yes. Ruthless? Often. Pompous? More often. But crooks? No." - Philip Stephens in the FT ...Dominic Lawson doesn't "The most depressing aspect of the corruption of the present generation of politicians is that it is all so mean. A male MP claims cash for his wife's tampons; another seeks reimbursement for a 5p polythene bag; yet another claims for the cost of a Remembrance Day poppy wreath. It is for such piffling amounts that they are prepared to sell their honour." - Dominic Lawson in The Independent What should be done? "Selective decapitation would be a better way to dispel public fury than giving in to wrong-headed demands for an immediate general election. Most voters would feel they were being asked to choose between coughing up for Tory tennis court repairs and Labour loo seats, not to mention Lib Dem eyeliner. Only enemies of democracy would enjoy the reaction to that choice. Before the Westminster club faces the public it must instead fix its broken rules - and be willing to blackball some of its members." - Guardian leader
German, Swedish and Czech leaders say walkout from EPP will leave Tories isolated - Guardian Tories' 'Merlin' campaign software is 'as much use as a cat flap in a submarine' - Telegraph The bargaining will be hard, but circumstances could favour King Abdullah's vision of peace - Sir Malcolm Rifkind in The Times Private schools are closing or merging at a rate of one a week - Times | |
Posts
