Journal Live - Blog Central

A Parliament of the wealthy and eccentric awaits

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 21:04:46 +0000

Does Helen Goodman, Bishop Auckland MP, have a point ? The clear insinuation following the Kelly report on expenses is that MPs should live in one-bedroom flats or rent in London if they represent areas outside the capital.

That is especially the case if they have children, the work and pensions minister said in her evidence to Sir Christopher Kelly.

Living in a hotel for six months of the year in hotels, and no possibility of two homes meant "hardly any normal people could do the job - let along people with familes", she warned.

Disheartening ban on employing MP spouses to Tory Euro crisis

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:39:54 +0000

A busy day in Westminster.The expenses crisis drags on, while David Cameron is facing problems over his European policy.

Government whip Sharon Hodgson, who employs her husband Alan, said: "I am disheartened but understand the decision to prevent MPs from employing their spouses.

"Anyone who has come into contact with my office will tell you that Alan is value for money, he had a better paid job which he left to come and work for me.

The next round of the MPs expenses crisis

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:40:15 +0000

Now the Kelly report on MPs expenses has been published, attention will switch to the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa).

MPs were outraged yesterday when it emerged Ipsa chairman Sir Ian Kennedy will be paid up to £100,000 a year for two or three days work a week - around £30,000 more than backbenchers.

This is what senior MP Sir Alan Beith, Lib Dem MP for Berwick, said to me: "The logical thing to do would have been to link his pay to the same as MPs. That would have been the sensible thing to do.

"He would have extra moral authority because he was on the same terms and that would be pro-rata."

Ipsa members will work for around two or three days work a month for a nice bit of lolly.

Tough work if you can get it for MP exes watchdog

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:10:39 +0000

Fancy a job earning £400 for two or three days a month? That equals £20,800 a year.

Well readers should put themselves forward to become members of the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA). This will look after the MPs expenses system, but already faces its own troubles before being properly established.

The Commons erupted when Speaker John Bercow named academic, lawyer and TV host Sir Ian Kennedy as IPSA chairman. He was repeatedly forced to call order as MPs from all sides reacted noisily to news that Mr Kennedy would be paid a maximum of £100,000 a year for around three days a week.

One senior MP has already spoken about the issue, warning he would have had more "moral" credibility if he earned the same as MPs, which is around £64,000. See tomorrow's Journal for more details.

Drugs policy going to pot?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:45:15 +0000

Another twist in the growing row over the sacking of the chairman of the Government's drug advisory panel.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said Prof David Nutt's position had become untenable because he was effectively campaigning against Government policy by calling for cannabis to become a class C drug.

That has prompted speculation about his colleagues resigning. But I have now found that the Government may be planning to do away with the panel anyway. It has launched a review into the body

Splitting banks is "crazy economics"

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 21:24:21 +0000

"Crazy economics". That is how John Redwood thinks about splitting the good bits of state-owned banks off for sale and leave the bad bits for taxpayers to pay all the losses. This comes as The Sunday Telegraph splashes on banking divisions.

"I guess this shortest of term Governments wants to be able to present an imminent "success" in the form of the possible sale of the good bits of Northern Rock 'at a profit'.

"Any fool could sell parts of any of the nationalised banks for more than taxpayers paid for the whole, because the toxic estates will be so expensive to maintain and sort out," said Mr Redwood, a former chief policy advisor to Margaret Thatcher, in a blog posting.

Put money on Miliband's Euro dream?

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:52:37 +0000

Will Foreign Secretary David Miliband heading for Brussels? He insists he is not a candidate to become Foreign Secretary of Europe, but does not rule out him categorically.

The job will be created under the controversial Lisbon Treaty, which could be ratified within weeks.

And his name is on a shortlist compiled by the Party of European Socialists seen by The Times. Now top Labour MEP Stephen Hughes has told me he would put money on it after recent lobbying of Mr Miliband.

North MP kicks President Blair

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:17:15 +0000

Frank Cook, MP for Stockton North, is no fan of T Blair. He thinks he is wholly unsuitable to be El Presidente of Europe. A bit different from Gordon Brown and David Miliband. Click here to read the motion.

More MPs to go over "racist" blacklash over claims

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:55:27 +0000

Extraordinary. The MPs expenses crisis takes a fresh twist. Backbenchers are furious about plans to ban relatives working for them and claiming mortgage interest for second homes.

One MP has compared to it as something akin to racism, saying: "It is really on the lines that you are black - you cannot do the job."

On top of that, he reckons a fresh wave of MPs will jump ship - wondering what the point of the whole thing is.

A key issue that could push them over the edge is "golden goodbyes" worth around £60,000 for outgoing MPs being slashed to £10,000,

Northern Rock sell off

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:31:51 +0000

COULD Northern Rock be sold before the general election? That could now be the case with Brussels set to approve splitting the bank into a good and bad bank tomorrow.

The European Commission is set to approve the split. That is likely to take place in the New Year and could see the "good" part of the bank sold within months.

And the "good bank" could go to a new entrant to the banking sector, potentially Tesco or Virgin Money.

The waiting 1.6m

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:48:58 +0000

This is a huge story. Think you might know who will be in No 10 on general election night. Think again.

Counts for 27 constituencies will not begin until the following day. Dozens more have not yet decided.

That adds up to more than 1.6m voters who won't know who their MP is on election night so far.

On top of that, if it is a tight result Britain may not know who is in charge until the following night. And who knows beyond that?

BNP's question time

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:34:09 +0000

Tory peer Baroness Warsi, who appeared on yesterday's Question Time programme, has been telling me how it went. She felt it went well and exposed the BNP leader Nick Griffin for "who he is".

But the baroness - chosen by David Cameron to go on - admitted being initially worried that the Question Time format, with a panel and audience asking questions. Would a detailed one to one interview might have been better?

She also acknowledged it might have been better to let Mr Griffin fully answer questions rather than avoid it when they got though.

"Jack Straw got quite emotional and did interrupt quite a bit,.. we could have done a bit more of that," added the peer, who performed well during the programme.

Darling, I like The Killers and chocolate digestives

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:59:51 +0000

Been talking to the Chancellor Alistair Darling about a wide range of subjects in No 11. We settled into deep leather bound chairs to talk politics in his office - a real perk of being a political editor is being able to speak to such figures in such surroudings.

See tomorrow's Journal about what he had to say. It is all very interesting and sets out his approach for the coming months amid spending "contraint".

There was then a press lunch with the Chancellor, when I decided to ask a light-hearted question
about whether he was a Strictly or X-Factor man.

He prefers to sit by the fireside listening to music, revealing he has got into The Killers (as liked by David Cameron. But there is plenty of sometime miserablist Leonard Cohen at his office. I like both.

Cue a question about his favourite biscuit. Chocolate biscuits was the answer. That comes after the PM wobbled over the same question.

Help! We need Jamie Oliver

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:51:49 +0000

Jamie Oliver, Britain's children need you once again. This time it is about giving them free school meals.

Durham City MP Roberta Blackman-Woods has issued the public appeal in Parliament as she spearheads efforts to provide free meals for every schoolchild in the country.

Expenses nightmare

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 11:17:17 +0000

What a week. Back from the three-week conference season and straight back into Parliament where the expenses crisis exploded again.

it is a real mess and it was bizarre seeing Parliamentarians lining up to collect their letters on Monday evening. A bit like getting A-Level results, except they have to foot the bill.

MPs are angry about retrospective rules being imposed, including Tyne Bridge MP David Clelland who spoke to The Journal earlier this week. He has also now written to local Labour party members.