Friday, May 15, 2009

Double standards for Ministers?

Shahid Malik - steps down as Junior Minister because he may have broken internal rules, the Ministerial Code, by failing to declare a benefit in terms of a crazily low, and what appears to be, subsidised rent.

Tony McNulty, Jacqui Smith and Hazel Blears et al - Continue as Junior Minister and Cabinet ministers respectively when revelations suggest that they may actually have broken the law, rather than just the rules.

How does that work then? What was that line in Animal Farm? All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others?

20 comments:

Unknown said...

isn't your list too short ?
...Ed Balls, Yvette Cooper, Alistair Darling, Geoff Hoon, Lord Mandleson...

The Amazing Toad said...

There are worse people than Labour MPs: the people who vote for them.

I'm very disappointed at 1 in 5 of our fellow citizens. Labour has built up a strong client base of unemployed and public sector dependents. These people are just troughing, like the "inglorious 600" at Westminster. They know that if Labour go, their supply of Other People's Money is threatened. Shame on those of you in the public sector who support this venal government for your own selfish ends.

Constan Treader said...

I agree. Malik comes across as a cocky little creep in the Sky interview and the wosre things get for him the happier I am; but looking at the case he makes rather than the way he presents it I think it is a strong one. The TV and chair were a bit pricey but there is no doubt in principle that he was entitled to claim for them. The "I was a new boy so I was careful to ask what the rules are" point is a good one, and not available to frinstance the Chancellor of the Exch.

Bonetired said...

Funny the chief animals in Animal Farm should be pigs ....

Bob said...

an appeal to the UKIP/bnp vote?

Oldrightie said...

I'm still proud to be a Conservative. I'm not so proud of SOME of our MPs though. Check out Philip Dunne's expense claims. Now that's the kind of guy we want in politics.

Imam said...

Yusuf
[12.81] Go back to your father and say: O our father! surely your son committed theft, and we do not bear witness except to what we have known, and we could not keep watch over the unseen:

Anonymous said...

Constan Treader:

So you think paying over £1000 for a TV for his 2nd home was essential to his work as an MP?

You must be a an MP if thats how you think.

Alex said...

Min9isterial code is a matter for the PM to deal with whereas the others are subject to a due process of law. Malik's case was always going to be processed faster than those subject to the law/police/CPS.

Not a sheep said...

The friends of Gordon will be protected but the others...

Anonymous said...

Cameron has played a blinder. A Prime Minister in waiting, if ever I saw one.

Constan Treader said...

No, that is precisely not what I said. I said having a TV was fine: ministers need to watch Newsnight. I said it was a bit pricey, meaning I thought over £1000 was not acceptable in view of what tvs generally cost. Clear now?

Anonymous said...

I think Malik is being smart and is thinking of his future career. If he has broken the ministerial code, it is pretty clearly a less serious offence than Blunkett's or Mandelson's, who both made comebacks after being forced to the pojnt of resignation. He's the only person on the Labour benches to have taken the hint from Cameron's rapid reaction. Much better play it straight and offer yourself to an inquiry than try to brazen it out in this atmosphere. He may well come up politically undamaged.

'Nowhere to go', however, covers most of the others you mention. Some of them will be out of parliament and almost unemployable inside 13 months. They certainly won't see office again. They might as well hoover up as much ministerial salary and contacts, and take the official pampering as emotional insulation from what happens next.

logdon said...

It was his point blank refusal to Brown to refund any money. That, plus the 'discounted' rent which could put him in hock to a third party wot done it.

SC said...

I think you'll find that one of them is black.

Anonymous said...

the real gem is, shaheed declined to pay back money - but offered to donate the swag to his "community".
returning the djizya to the kuffar? never that for him, clever boy...

SC said...

I think you'll find that my last comment was anti, not pro-racism.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps Mr. Malik was shopped by Constable Savage.

Anonymous said...

Costan Treader: "It's my first day" only works for Homer Simpson.

Anonymous said...

My bet is that Malik will escape all blame.

http://www.shahidmalik.co.uk/