Saturday, May 17, 2008
Funding shadows
The Times reports that eleven Tory shadow cabinet ministers have benefited from secret and previously unregistered donations from wealthy backers. The cash was channelled from Tory headquarters and, in at least two cases the funding was from figures involved directly in the minister's policy areas:
The office of Grant Shapps, the Tory housing spokesman, is funded by donations from a number of mortgage brokers and Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Health Secretary, was bankrolled by a healthcare firm, the documents showed. Theresa Villiers, who has the transport brief but was previously Shadow Treasury Chief Secretary, benefited from donations by a number of investment bankers.
The question now is not why the donations were not declared but what influence these donors had on Tory policy making and the direction of a future Tory Government? One of the reasons why procedures were introduced for declaring such contributions was precisely so that the public are able to pass judgement on such matters. The Conservatives now need to make a full disclosure for the purposes of transparency and accountability.
The office of Grant Shapps, the Tory housing spokesman, is funded by donations from a number of mortgage brokers and Andrew Lansley, the Shadow Health Secretary, was bankrolled by a healthcare firm, the documents showed. Theresa Villiers, who has the transport brief but was previously Shadow Treasury Chief Secretary, benefited from donations by a number of investment bankers.
The question now is not why the donations were not declared but what influence these donors had on Tory policy making and the direction of a future Tory Government? One of the reasons why procedures were introduced for declaring such contributions was precisely so that the public are able to pass judgement on such matters. The Conservatives now need to make a full disclosure for the purposes of transparency and accountability.
Comments:
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Do not get too cocky.
You did not add this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7400952.stm
Anyway, I'm off to watch the footie.
Come on Pompey. :-)
You did not add this.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7400952.stm
Anyway, I'm off to watch the footie.
Come on Pompey. :-)
# posted by 
: 2:15 PM
: 2:15 PM
All of the expenses claimed by Nick Clegg are within the rules and thanks to his adherence to the principles of transparency and accountability are now in the public domain. That is very different to the subject of this post.
Tell that to the public.
You put forward a good argument, but do you think the public "buy" into it? Sadly, I think they view politicians as all the same - in it for themselves. I know this isn't true because of the politicians like Nick and yourself.
Anyway, I admire Nick - he of the "thirty women fame". Thankfully, he didn't pay for the renovations on all their houses as well. I nearly choked on my cornflakes when I heard "the news". I first thought he'd had more than one woman at once in his bed. Just like yours truly. :-)
You put forward a good argument, but do you think the public "buy" into it? Sadly, I think they view politicians as all the same - in it for themselves. I know this isn't true because of the politicians like Nick and yourself.
Anyway, I admire Nick - he of the "thirty women fame". Thankfully, he didn't pay for the renovations on all their houses as well. I nearly choked on my cornflakes when I heard "the news". I first thought he'd had more than one woman at once in his bed. Just like yours truly. :-)
# posted by : 8:55 PM
: 8:55 PM
I thought Nick had voluntarily declared his expenses before the ruling
Still, this is the Nu-Tories all over - get in a hole, make lots of noise about eeryone else being in holes and hope no-one looks too closely.
I see that the 'new leader of Monarchy Wales' as Neil describes himself, is clearly a patriotic Welshman and keen to see Cardiff win. Not. Still, that's the old-Tories all over, treat everywhere else as a colony and assume that you know what's best for them.
Still, this is the Nu-Tories all over - get in a hole, make lots of noise about eeryone else being in holes and hope no-one looks too closely.
I see that the 'new leader of Monarchy Wales' as Neil describes himself, is clearly a patriotic Welshman and keen to see Cardiff win. Not. Still, that's the old-Tories all over, treat everywhere else as a colony and assume that you know what's best for them.
# posted by : 2:02 AM
: 2:02 AM
From memory, I believe the only commercial contributor to Nick Clegg's leadership campaign was a specialist cycle manufacturer in the English Midlands.
I hardly think this is going to corrupt a Liberal Democrat administration in Westminster.
I hardly think this is going to corrupt a Liberal Democrat administration in Westminster.
I've learnt something very important this week.
Never crack jokes on a Liberal Democrat blog.
:-)
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Never crack jokes on a Liberal Democrat blog.
:-)
# posted by : 1:27 PM
: 1:27 PM<< Home
