Iain Gray's Acting Lessons

Often I've suggested Iain Gray, the leader of the Scottish Parliament labour group, has some help with his public speaking.

My idea was he may benefit from a few hours at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama but no, Mr Gray's gone one better than our national drama school and he's been taking lessons from Silverfish Productions.

The lessons, for which Mr Gray claimed £3,450, trained him for television interviews and showed him how to present himself and answer difficult questions. I trust they taught him how to answer the easy ones first.

If the picture is anything to go by the taxpayers have certainly had their money's worth don't you think?

If any readers know of any other politicians (other than David Miliband) who have charged taxpayers for skills, with which they should have been equipped before they accepted the position of an elected representative, do let me know.

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MSPs Remembrance Wreaths - Update

My post yesterday created a good discussion about the decision of the Scottish Parliament's Corporate Body to allow MSPs to claim for Remembrance Day wreaths.

The Times is reporting today that SNP MSPs will not claim for wreaths. I'm pleased to hear it. Surely they could go one step further and ask for the item to be removed from the list of claimable expenses. I know many veterans who would appreciate such a gesture.

Iain Gray said his personal view was that MSPs should pay for wreaths and not claim them on expenses. Decisive leadership as usual from Mr Gray.

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Poppy Wreaths on Expenses? Wrong Decision from the Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Parliament's Corporate Body (SPCB) has decided that where an MSP is representing the Scottish Parliament, payment for a Remembrance Sunday wreath is a legitimate expense and the cost can be claimed through the Members' expenses scheme.

The SPCB comprises of an MSP from each of the four main Scottish parties and Holyrood's residing officer, Alex Ferguson.

This is a bad decision and I would ask the SPCB to reconsider. What on earth are they thinking? At times I despair at the thoughtless actions of our political representatives.

Neil Griffiths of the Royal British Legion Scotland, said wreaths cost about £16. Even if an MSP attended 6 services, the cost would only be £96. The current basic salary of an MSP is £53,091, plus expenses.

If a member of the Scottish Parliament cannot make a contribution in this way towards the care of our troops, then they really shouldn't be representing the people. I for one will be watching the publication of MSP's November expenses very carefully.

Udated Editor's Note: The present members of the Scottish Parliament's Corporate Body, responsible for this decision, are Tricia Marwick (SNP), Mike Pringle (LibDem), Alex Johnstone (Conservative), Tom McCabe (Labour) and presiding officer Alex Fergusson (Conservative).

Thanks to leg-iron for highlighting this matter.

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Brown Faces Backlash

MPs of all parties are furious with Gordon Brown and it's reported that some labour MPs are hoping that they can organise a coup to remove him from office before the next election. To compound the Prime Minister's problems he has been asked to repay over £12,000 in 'overclaimed' expenses.

Why the fury? All 646 MPs received a letter from Sir Thomas Legg who was asked by Brown to investigate MPs expenses for the past 5 years. Many will be asked to repay monies they thought they had a right to claim. Others, like David Cameron, will be asked to give further information about particular claims.

I heard Nick Clegg on television last night, frantically avoiding the interviewer's question about his claim for a gardener. He floundered around, weakly stating he paid his gardener the 'going rate'.

Why are we allowing MPs to claim for cleaning and gardening? Who benefits from the results of these tasks? How many constituents have even visited the constituency home of their MP? Very few. Of course they must refund such monies. The days of mocking the public and using their hard earned money to fund cleaners and gardeners is over and about time too.

Will we have more MPs announcing they are standing down at the next election? I do hope so. As I've said before my MP has not claimed anything other than the basics required to do his job efficiently. We need more of his ilk in the Westminster parliament.

Will labour attempt another coup? For entertainment reasons I would like to think so, but it won't happen. Too many are only interested in finding a cushy wee number for when they are voted out of office next year.

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The Not So Righteous Mr Devine MP

Jim Devine is MP who represents Livingstone.  In the four years since he became an MP, the former trade union official has claimed around £60,000 from the Additional Costs Allowance, which allows MPs to buy and refurbish a second home.

He claimed £2157 in 2007 for 'rewiring works' supplying an invoice in the name of Eastern Electrical Ltd of 76 Wilston House, Southark Bridge Road, London.

Paul Hutcheon of the Sunday Herald has done an excellent job investigating this claim and found there is no company of that name registered in the UK, there is no road of that name on London and there is no Wilston House in London.

As my reader, who brought this to my attention, says "This is not within the rules, it's straightforward fraud and this man should be jailed."  I concur.

Update:  Monty at The Universality of Cheese has a post regarding Eric Joyce, the first expenses millionaire and his claims. Certainly worth reading.

Why are MPs allowed to be elected when they don't live in their constituency.  How could Eric Joyce do a proper job?  

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MSPs Baton Down the Hatches on their Publicly-funded Second Homes

Today's Sunday Herald headline reads "MSPs set to pocket £2m by using your money and they won't say if they will pay it all back.'

It appears 28 MSPs currently charging taxpayers for the cost of mortgage interest on a second home in Edinburgh, 12 are Nationalists, half of whom are cabinet secretaries or ministers. They include finance secretary John Swinney and housing minister Alex Neil, who would make profits of £95,000 each if they sold up. LibDem Nicol Stephen would make a profit of £200,000 or almost four times his salary while presiding officer Alex Fergusson would make £125,000. Tavish Scott, who stands to make £120,000 on his second home in Edinburgh, said Nick Clegg's call for all libdems to pay back any profits was found by last year's review team to be too complicated to work.

As most of us know after a review of the practice last year, all mortgage interest claims will stop in 2011 but according to SNP sources, Crawford and Adam contacted Nationalist MSPs to tell them not to be drawn on the subject. "It's blind panic."

No need for panic from any MSP.  Just assure the public you will pay an agreed share of the profit on your property when you sell it.  Better still, agree to sell it before the rules change in 2011, pay back the money then the matter will be closed.

Behaving like Gordon Brown and bunkering themselves isn't doing the SNP any good at all, in fact if it continues it will be very damaging.  Come on Alex, show some leadership and sort this matter out in the next couple of days.  If you allow it to fester the whole of your party will become tainted with greed and sleaze.  Take action now.

Pity the Sunday Herald did not list all the 28 MSPs.

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