Judge makes plea for fewer laws – BBC News
“The most senior judge in England and Wales has criticised the government for passing too many crime laws.”
BBC News, 15th July 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Category: parliament
MPs’ second jobs to be disclosed – BBC News
“New rules have come into force requiring MPs to disclose all income they receive from second jobs and how much time they devote to them.”
BBC News, 1st July 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Jacqui Smith fraud case dropped – BBC News
“Plans for a private prosecution against former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith alleging fraud over her second home expenses claims have been dropped.”
BBC News, 30th June 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
New body to oversee expenses ‘could have chilling effect on MPs’ freedom of speech’ – The Guardian
“Gordon Brown’s plans to set up an independent body to take charge of parliamentary expenses could have a ‘chilling effect’ on MPs’ freedom of speech, the most senior official in the House of Commons warned today.”
The Guardian, 26th June 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
MPs’ expenses and allowances: new Parliamentary Standards Bill introduced – Ministry of Justice
“The old system of MPs’ self regulation is to end and a new system of robust, independent and transparent statutory regulation will be brought forward in urgent legislation introduced to Parliament today by Harriet Harman and Jack Straw.”
Ministry of Justice, 23rd June 2009
Source: www.justice.gov.uk
MPs who break tough new rules risk one year in jail – The Independent
“MPs who fiddle their expenses in future could face 12 months in jail or an unlimited fine under a crackdown announced last night. A Bill will be rushed through Parliament by next month with all-party support in an attempt to restore public confidence in MPs after it was shattered by the revelations about the allowances system.”
The Independent, 24th June 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
MPs’ expenses: attack on MPs by the £21 judges – Daily Telegraph
“A group of judges has launched an unprecedented public attack on MPs over their ‘disproportionately large’ expenses.”
Full story
Daily Telegraph, 17th June 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
New MP voting system considered – BBC News
“Gordon Brown is set to announce plans to examine a new system of voting MPs to the House of Commons.”
BBC News, 10th June 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Police rule out broad inquiry over MPs’ expenses – The Guardian
“Senior police and prosecutors have announced they will not launch criminal investigations into more than 100 MPs over their apparent abuse of parliamentary expenses.”
The Guardian, 5th June 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Elitist culture of secrecy must end, says Lord Falconer – The Times
“The former Lord Chancellor wants an end to off-the-record briefings and a relaxation of Cabinet collective responsibility.”
The Times, 2nd June 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Brown to launch ‘code of conduct’ for MPs – The Independent
“Gordon Brown said today there were ‘clear cases’ of MPs who may have broken the law over expense claims but insisted that only ‘a few’ MPs had abused the Westminster perks system.”
The Independent, 31st May 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk‘
Fraud challenge to home secretary – BBC News
“A man has appeared in court to try to start a private prosecution against the home secretary over her expense claims.”
BBC News, 22nd May 2009
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Could the Queen really dissolve Parliament now? – The Times
“Thinking the unthinkable is what constitutional lawyers are paid to do. Many are now saying that with the daily revelations about improper expenses claims from beleaguered MPs the Queen should step in and dissolve Parliament — against the Government’s wishes — forcing a general election to compel MPs to stand for immediate re-election after a scandal on the scale of that of the pre 1832 rotten boroughs. Trust has now been destroyed. It can, so the argument runs, be rebuilt only by a neutral third party, the Queen, and not by a self-interested and wholly discredited cabal of politicians.”
The Times, 21st May 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Expenses: in the spirit of the rules? – The Times
“A police investigation into the MPs expenses scandal will swiftly identify false accounting as the criminal offence most likely to have been committed by the most egregious of the SW1 claimants.”
The Times, 21st May 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Met chief prepared to launch inquiries into alleged misuse of MPs’ expenses – The Guardian
“Paul Stephenson says police will investigate MPs where warranted, while union calls on Labour’s NEC to outline deselection process for MPs found guilty of claims misuse.”
The Guardian, 18th May 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Expenses scandal: proving MPs committed fraud would be difficult – The Times
“The furore over allowances claimed by Members of Parliament has produced strong reactions from members of the public, including suggestions that criminal offences have been committed. There has been speculation in the media, suitably restrained for obvious reasons, that some cases might attract the attention of the Revenue or other authorities. There may have been complaints made to the police.”
The Times, 15th May 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Two Labour peers face suspension for offering to change law for money – The Guardian
“Two Labour peers face suspension from the House of Lords until the autumn after being found guilty of offering to try to change the law in return for money.”
The Guardian, 14th May 2009
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Police called in over leaks as more MPs accused – The Times
“MPs defied their own legal advice last night and asked the police to investigate how expenses details had been offered for sale to newspapers.”
The Times, 9th May 2009
Source: www.timesonline.co.uk
Lords in sleaze row could lose their peerages – Daily Telegraph
“Peers will be expelled from the House of Lords if they break the law under new powers being proposed in the wake of the cash for amendments controversy.”
Daily Telegraph, 19th March 2009
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Caroline Spelman to repay nanny expenses – The Independent
“Conservative frontbencher Caroline Spelman last night agreed to repay £9,600 after parliamentary anti-sleaze watchdogs found she broke Commons rules by paying taxpayers’ money to her children’s nanny.”
The Independent, 4th March 2009
Source: www.independent.co.uk
