Archive for the ‘Tony McNulty’ tag
When Staying Within the Rules is not Enough
This week, another British Government Minister is in trouble over expenses.
The Mail on Sunday reports Work and Pensions Minister Tony McNulty has claimed over £60,000 (US$87,000) since 2002 of “second home allowance” on a house in which his parents live.
This allowance of up to £24,000 ($35,000) a year goes to MPs who live outside of inner London. It should cover the cost of staying away from their main home when carrying out parliamentary duties.
Mr McNulty has been claiming for the house in his constituency of Harrow East, which is about 11 miles from The Houses of Parliament in Westminster, hardly an arduous commute. He actually lives in Hammersmith with his wife, only eight miles from his “second home.” Hammersmith is even nearer to Westminster than Harrow.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Former Head Spook Attacks UK Government
In an interview given to the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, Dame Stella Rimington, the former head of the UK’s spooks, has attacked UK’s government for, “frightening people in order to be able to pass laws, which restrict civil liberties.”
Dame Stella, 73, became the first woman director general of MI5, the UK’s counter intelligence agency, in 1992. She served in that capacity until 1996. She has long been an outspoken critic of New Labour’s attacks on civil liberties.
In the interview, published in The Daily Telegraph, she said, “Since I have retired, I feel more at liberty to be against certain decisions of the Government, especially the attempt to pass laws, which interfere with people’s privacy.”
Popularity: 8% [?]
