Juliet Samuel, Sunlight’s Research Analyst, has written to Labour MP Sion Simon to request details of a rental agreement under which he was paid £44,000 by the Fees Office. Simon claims he paid this money to his sister in rent and has since agreed to pay back £20,000. But without a published copy of the [...]
Posted on January 5th, 2010 by Mike Rouse
Filed under: blog, frontpage | No Comments »
Committee of Standards and Privilages member Andrew Dismore MP has been reported to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards in light of allegations about his expenses. In a letter to the Commissioner for Standards, The Sunlight Centre for Open Politics set out possible breaches of the 2003 Green Book Rules that applied at the time. A [...]
Posted on November 23rd, 2009 by Sunlight Team
Filed under: blog, frontpage, projects | 2 Comments »
Although the Kelly Report into MPs expenses was published yesterday some MPs have complained that their £65,000 a year salaries will not be enough to live on. This is despite the Kelly Report suggesting a crackdown on expenses which the public hoped would bring an end to the MPs gravy train. The report will reportedly [...]
Posted on November 5th, 2009 by chris
Filed under: Kelly Report, Uncategorized, blog | 1 Comment »
KELLY REPORT CHECK LIST Are the Kelly Report recommendations tough or weak? The Sunlight Centre has broken down the potential reforms into four categories and 30 potential reforms to enable journalists to judge the toughness of the proposals. Score the report. The check list was compiled by Juliet Samuel, the author of Disinfecting Parliament: The [...]
Posted on November 4th, 2009 by Mike Rouse
Filed under: Kelly Report, Uncategorized, blog | No Comments »
Read the Kelly report in full. Click here. Sir Christopher Kelly publishes report today on MPs expenses. Today. Sunlight Correspondents are currently in Westminster including Juliet Samuel author of the shadow report ‘Disinfecting Parliament’ to measure the success of the Kelly report both with the media, the public and MPs (if anyone is brave enough [...]
Posted on November 4th, 2009 by chris
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Jacqui Smith’s appearance on Question Time last night was dominated by expenses. Much as Nick Griffin’s appearance was dominated the previous week before by a singular issue. Throughout the programme Ms Smith looked grumpy with the guests and ill at ease with the audience. An audience member asked if ministers embroiled in the expenses scandal [...]
Posted on October 30th, 2009 by chris
Filed under: Jacqui Smith, blog | No Comments »
The proposed release date of the Kelly Report on the 4th November as reported in the Times and the Telegraph it is likely to ban the employment of family members, something which the Sunlight ‘Disinfecting Parliament’ has already suggested, While many family members work hard for Members, the abuse of this leniency has shown that [...]
Posted on October 26th, 2009 by chris
Filed under: Uncategorized, blog | 1 Comment »
The Sunlight Centre Complaint regarding Lord Renard’s designation of his second home has been turned down by the Clerk of the Parliaments. Peers accused of abusing their expenses have been given the green light to carry on claiming. They include peers who have been accused of raking in large sums from the taxpayer based on [...]
Posted on October 22nd, 2009 by chris
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After the lengthy Parliamentary recess and the Legg Audit the Sunlight Centre has launched itself back into the planned Private Prosecution against the former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. A profile of the Sunlight Centre and an interview with Chris Galley were featured in today’s Independent. Below are some extracts and quotes from Mr Galley’s interview. [...]
Posted on October 16th, 2009 by chris
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Jim Devine the MP who the Sunlight Centre reported to the police for abusing his expenses is considering legal action against the Labour Party after it barred him from standing again as a candidate because of his expense claims. The Sunlight Centre originally reported Mr Devine to the police over bogus claims he made for [...]
Posted on October 14th, 2009 by chris
Filed under: Jim Devine, Uncategorized, blog | No Comments »