Thursday, August 26, 2021
Freebies
Every Parliamentarian in every UK nation is used to the freebie merry go round, and some take advantage more than most. When I was a Welsh Assembly Member I started off going to the odd one just for the novelty value but soon got on a trajectory of refusing the vast majority of those that came into my office. After a while the invitations started to dry up. I guess I was written off a lost cause.
In fact, enjoyable as they are, these little excursions do have a cost associated with them. Our hosts are not just there for the thrills, in fact they want to get influential people into a room together so they can get their own message across either about what they are doing, or what they want the politicians to do for them. The question we have to ask is whether it is really right that big corporations with lots of money can secure access that lesser mortals do not have?
These moral questions do not seem to bother many politicians who continue to enjoy the largesse of these sponsors. And it seems the more important you, the greater the rewards.
According to the Mirror, some 65 Tory MPs declared almost £160,000 worth of free tickets between May and July. Meanwhile, 23 Labour MPs declared £31,921 worth of freebies. These include 153 declarations of gifted tickets and hospitality for the the Brits, the Euro 2020 finals, Wimbledon, Latitude Festival and various Golf, horse racing and motorsport events - handed to them by betting firms, alcohol and fast food companies and industry bodies, half of which was declared in just four weeks, between 27 July and 23 August.
There are no figures for SNP and Liberal Democrats MPs but no doubt some of them also took advantage of this largesse. The Mirror is keen to point out that the cost of these events averages out at £440 for every Conservative MP in the House of Commons, compared to £160 for each Labour MP but really that is just playing politics with the real issue of people buying access:
Guernsey-based betting giant Entain, which owns Coral, Ladbrokes, PartyPoker and Sportingbet were by far the most generous, handing out 17 freebies worth £44,707.Booze firm Heineken UK gave 6 MPs tickets worth £3,308.79.
McDonalds gave two MPs tickets to watch the football Community Shield match at Wembley.
And some 18 MPs declared they had accepted free tickets worth £48,437.30 to see England lose to Denmark in the Semi-Finals of Euro2020, from Entain, Heineken, UEFA, the FA and the Betting and Gaming Council.
In theory there should be an element of transparency in this process but that depends on MPs declaring events in good time:
It was revealed today that the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner is investigating five ministers, including Trade Secretary Liz Truss and Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey, for failing to reveal they were handed free Brits tickets worth as much as £900 each.
MPs are required to update the Register of Members' Interests within 28 days of receiving gifts, payments or hospitality.
Some 17 MPs declared free tickets to the bash - but a string of ministers, including Science Minister Amanda Solloway and Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly are being investigated for failing to declare the tickets within the time limit.
Surely it is time to reform the system altogether.
In fact, enjoyable as they are, these little excursions do have a cost associated with them. Our hosts are not just there for the thrills, in fact they want to get influential people into a room together so they can get their own message across either about what they are doing, or what they want the politicians to do for them. The question we have to ask is whether it is really right that big corporations with lots of money can secure access that lesser mortals do not have?
These moral questions do not seem to bother many politicians who continue to enjoy the largesse of these sponsors. And it seems the more important you, the greater the rewards.
According to the Mirror, some 65 Tory MPs declared almost £160,000 worth of free tickets between May and July. Meanwhile, 23 Labour MPs declared £31,921 worth of freebies. These include 153 declarations of gifted tickets and hospitality for the the Brits, the Euro 2020 finals, Wimbledon, Latitude Festival and various Golf, horse racing and motorsport events - handed to them by betting firms, alcohol and fast food companies and industry bodies, half of which was declared in just four weeks, between 27 July and 23 August.
There are no figures for SNP and Liberal Democrats MPs but no doubt some of them also took advantage of this largesse. The Mirror is keen to point out that the cost of these events averages out at £440 for every Conservative MP in the House of Commons, compared to £160 for each Labour MP but really that is just playing politics with the real issue of people buying access:
Guernsey-based betting giant Entain, which owns Coral, Ladbrokes, PartyPoker and Sportingbet were by far the most generous, handing out 17 freebies worth £44,707.Booze firm Heineken UK gave 6 MPs tickets worth £3,308.79.
McDonalds gave two MPs tickets to watch the football Community Shield match at Wembley.
And some 18 MPs declared they had accepted free tickets worth £48,437.30 to see England lose to Denmark in the Semi-Finals of Euro2020, from Entain, Heineken, UEFA, the FA and the Betting and Gaming Council.
In theory there should be an element of transparency in this process but that depends on MPs declaring events in good time:
It was revealed today that the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner is investigating five ministers, including Trade Secretary Liz Truss and Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey, for failing to reveal they were handed free Brits tickets worth as much as £900 each.
MPs are required to update the Register of Members' Interests within 28 days of receiving gifts, payments or hospitality.
Some 17 MPs declared free tickets to the bash - but a string of ministers, including Science Minister Amanda Solloway and Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly are being investigated for failing to declare the tickets within the time limit.
Surely it is time to reform the system altogether.
