Westminster Watch
The Private Eye, the UK's best and only fortnightly satirical magazine, highlights the cavalier way that some Westminster MPs regard their duties in the House of Commons.
MEMBERS' PERKS
"I'm already demob happy. I spent three days at the Test match last week."
Ken Clarke speaking with parliament in full session and a fortnight before it closes for a six week break, while still earning £100,000 a year as minister without portfolio. (Although he has since resigned from government, he will stay on as an MP on a £67,000 salary).
Sounds like Ken Clarke, a Conservative MP, is following the example of Labour's Gordon Brown who has hardly been seen at Westminster, in his capacity as a working MP, since losing the 2010 general election.
Now Gordon claims to be doing good works abroad including his stint at the Abu Dhabi campus of New York University where he spends 70 days a year, but why doesn't he just do the decent thing and resign as the MP for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy?
Because I'm sure someone else could fill his shoes perfectly well.
Whatever else you might say about the Scottish Parliament, Holyrood would never put up with this kind of nonsense from its MSPs - to say nothing of the fact that the press and media would be on to it in a flash.
Part-Time Politicians (20 February 2014)
The Guardian is having some fun at the expense of Scotland's First Minister, Alex Salmond, and the former Labour Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.
I'm not sure which of the two politicians the cartoonist, Steve Bell, dislikes or admires more - probably neither of them given his line of work.
But you can say one thing about Alex Salmond whether you agree with him or not which is that he's a hard working, full-time politician and he's earning his public salary as an MSP.
Blatant Sexism (3 December 2014)
Here's an interesting story from the Mirror newspaper which is having a go a Nadine Dorries MP for employing her daughter as a personal secretary on a £35,000 salary - despite the fact she lives almost 100 miles away.
Now I think the Mirror has a fair point, but I also think the paper is guilty of blatant hypocrisy and sexism - because why single out Nadine Dorries when there is a much worse example right under their journalists noses.
Step forward Gordon Brown MP - the former Labour leader and Prime Minister - who spends a lot of his time out of the country at the Abu Dhabi campus of New York University, which means that he is clearly unable to attend to the duties of his day job at the House of Commons.
I looked up the distance from London to Abu Dhabi and it's approximately 3398 miles - yet this doesn't seem to concern the Labour supporting Mirror in the same way.
But it should.
Tory MP Nadine Dorries threatens to 'nail Sunday Mirror reporter's testicles to the floor using own front teeth'
She was answering a question about how her daughter could work as her £35,000-a-year secretary when she lives nearly 100 miles away
Threat: Nadine Dorries lashed out on Twitter
Barcroft
Tory MP Nadine Dorries yesterday threatened to nail a Sunday Mirror reporter’s testicles to the floor – for asking how her daughter could work as her secretary when she lived nearly 100 miles away.
The controversial MP claims up to £35,000 a year of taxpayers’ money to employ Jennifer, 26, under House of Commons guidelines.
They allow for “secretarial support” at an MP’s Westminster or constituency office.
But when we told 56-year-old Ms Dorries we had discovered Jennifer lived in a Cotswolds village 96 miles from her mother’s desk in London and 89 from her Mid-Bedfordshire base in Shefford, before emailing a statement she took to Twitter to vent her spleen.
In an extraordinary outburst, she tweeted: “Be seen within a mile of my daughters and I will nail your balls to the floor… using your own front teeth. Do you get that?”
The rant came after the Sunday Mirror revealed last week how her business partner Andy Rayment also runs a business with a glamour model.
Our latest revelations are based on details in official Parliamentary records that show Jennifer is her mother’s “senior secretary” - a position that often calls for face-to-face meetings with constituents.
On Thursday Jennifer was at home taking her dog for a stroll in Willersey, Worcestershire.
Barcroft
Tory MP Nadine Dorries yesterday threatened to nail a Sunday Mirror reporter’s testicles to the floor – for asking how her daughter could work as her secretary when she lived nearly 100 miles away.
The controversial MP claims up to £35,000 a year of taxpayers’ money to employ Jennifer, 26, under House of Commons guidelines.
They allow for “secretarial support” at an MP’s Westminster or constituency office.
But when we told 56-year-old Ms Dorries we had discovered Jennifer lived in a Cotswolds village 96 miles from her mother’s desk in London and 89 from her Mid-Bedfordshire base in Shefford, before emailing a statement she took to Twitter to vent her spleen.
In an extraordinary outburst, she tweeted: “Be seen within a mile of my daughters and I will nail your balls to the floor… using your own front teeth. Do you get that?”
The rant came after the Sunday Mirror revealed last week how her business partner Andy Rayment also runs a business with a glamour model.
Our latest revelations are based on details in official Parliamentary records that show Jennifer is her mother’s “senior secretary” - a position that often calls for face-to-face meetings with constituents.
On Thursday Jennifer was at home taking her dog for a stroll in Willersey, Worcestershire.
Office job: Jennifer takes dog for a walk
Sunday Mirror
A Commons official said: “It’s hard to see how she can deal with an MP’s electorate in the most efficient way when she lives nowhere near Parliament or the constituency.”
Jennifer is the second of Ms Dorries’ three daughters to work for her mum at taxpayers’ expense.
Her eldest, Philippa, earned up to £45,000 a year as her office manager.
When a storm broke in September about Jennifer’s job, Ms Dorries claimed she provided “value for money”.
Ms Dorries last night claimed her daughter did the 89-mile journey from her home to the constituency office in 80 minutes.
The AA’s online route planner says the fastest route is two hours, 12 minutes.
The MP said: “Jennifer’s main place of work is in the constituency, where she stays for some of each week.
“Her journey time is 1hr 20 mins. She does not claim from the staff travel allowance and covers all her own travel costs.
"Her journey time is less than mine from Bedfordshire to Westminster which is 1hr 30mins, as it is for all of my constituents who commute to London.
“I do not claim travel expenses and cover my own travel costs.
"I find your interest in both myself, out of 650 MPs, my daughters and their private business is questionable, irrelevant, bordering on harassment and rather creepy.”
The Conservative MP for Mid-Befordshire - Nadine Dorries - swans off from the House of Commons for up to 30 days to take part in a celebrity TV programme - which is made in some remote part of Australia.
Result - she gets 'pelters' from all quarters and deservedly so - including from the Deputy Labour Leader - Harriet Harman - while standing in at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs).
Ms Harman famous for her support of equalities issues even made a lame joke at Nadine's expense - something about the Tory MP having to deal with all kinds of snakes and toads - before she even arrived in the jungle.
So why is the row in the House of Commons so sexist?
Because lots of other MPs swan off when it suits them - including Harriet's Labour colleague and former Prime Minister - Gordon Brown.
Except Gordon is away from his day job for much more time than Nadine Dorries - 70 days a year (every year) in one job alone - at the New York University in Abu Dhabi, for example.
Yet no one says a word - or makes jokes at Prime Minister's Questions.
Maybe they'll start doing so now.
I certainly hope so because it would be a breath of fresh air - and thoroughly deserved.
Gissa Job (16 July 2012)
I read the other day that Gordon Brown - the sometime Labour MP for Cowdenbeath and Kircaldy - has added yet another string to his bow.
Apparently the former Prime Minister is to become a global envoy for the United Nations.
A position which will, of course, compete for Gordon's time along with his paid role as a 'Distinguished Global Leader in Residence' - at the Abu Dhabi campus of New York University - where he is required to spend 70 days a year.
And his time spent on other charitable works on behalf of 'The Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown' - which I have commented upon previously.
Now I have no problem with Gordon Brown spending lots of time out of the country.
But what I don't understand is why he doesn't just resign his seat as an MP - and give someone else the chance of doing a proper full-time day job? Particularly at a time of such high unemployment.
According to press reports Gordon's heart is just not into being a Westminster MP - and since losing the 2010 general election he has apparently taken part in just two parliamentary debates - and only 15 per cent of the votes.
So surely it's time for Gordon to do the right thing - and step aside.
Sunday Mirror
A Commons official said: “It’s hard to see how she can deal with an MP’s electorate in the most efficient way when she lives nowhere near Parliament or the constituency.”
Jennifer is the second of Ms Dorries’ three daughters to work for her mum at taxpayers’ expense.
Her eldest, Philippa, earned up to £45,000 a year as her office manager.
When a storm broke in September about Jennifer’s job, Ms Dorries claimed she provided “value for money”.
Ms Dorries last night claimed her daughter did the 89-mile journey from her home to the constituency office in 80 minutes.
The AA’s online route planner says the fastest route is two hours, 12 minutes.
The MP said: “Jennifer’s main place of work is in the constituency, where she stays for some of each week.
“Her journey time is 1hr 20 mins. She does not claim from the staff travel allowance and covers all her own travel costs.
"Her journey time is less than mine from Bedfordshire to Westminster which is 1hr 30mins, as it is for all of my constituents who commute to London.
“I do not claim travel expenses and cover my own travel costs.
"I find your interest in both myself, out of 650 MPs, my daughters and their private business is questionable, irrelevant, bordering on harassment and rather creepy.”
Rampant Sexism (12 November 2012)
The Conservative MP for Mid-Befordshire - Nadine Dorries - swans off from the House of Commons for up to 30 days to take part in a celebrity TV programme - which is made in some remote part of Australia.
Result - she gets 'pelters' from all quarters and deservedly so - including from the Deputy Labour Leader - Harriet Harman - while standing in at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs).
Ms Harman famous for her support of equalities issues even made a lame joke at Nadine's expense - something about the Tory MP having to deal with all kinds of snakes and toads - before she even arrived in the jungle.
So why is the row in the House of Commons so sexist?
Because lots of other MPs swan off when it suits them - including Harriet's Labour colleague and former Prime Minister - Gordon Brown.
Except Gordon is away from his day job for much more time than Nadine Dorries - 70 days a year (every year) in one job alone - at the New York University in Abu Dhabi, for example.
Yet no one says a word - or makes jokes at Prime Minister's Questions.
Maybe they'll start doing so now.
I certainly hope so because it would be a breath of fresh air - and thoroughly deserved.
Gissa Job (16 July 2012)
I read the other day that Gordon Brown - the sometime Labour MP for Cowdenbeath and Kircaldy - has added yet another string to his bow.
Apparently the former Prime Minister is to become a global envoy for the United Nations.
A position which will, of course, compete for Gordon's time along with his paid role as a 'Distinguished Global Leader in Residence' - at the Abu Dhabi campus of New York University - where he is required to spend 70 days a year.
And his time spent on other charitable works on behalf of 'The Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown' - which I have commented upon previously.
Now I have no problem with Gordon Brown spending lots of time out of the country.
But what I don't understand is why he doesn't just resign his seat as an MP - and give someone else the chance of doing a proper full-time day job? Particularly at a time of such high unemployment.
According to press reports Gordon's heart is just not into being a Westminster MP - and since losing the 2010 general election he has apparently taken part in just two parliamentary debates - and only 15 per cent of the votes.
So surely it's time for Gordon to do the right thing - and step aside.
