Sunlight Centre for Open Politics » Expenses

PEOPLE’S OINK PROTEST

Sunlight Team — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:24:01 +0000

TUESDAY 10AM

Next Tuesday 30th March, 3 MPs and one Lord will attend the first formal day of their trial for fraud or false accounting. This is the culmination of many months’ outrage, investigation and fury at our parliamentarians’ rank abuse of the expenses system. Hundreds have promised to turn out in protest and the Sunlight Centre and other friends hope you will join us.

IT WILL BE KICKING OFF AT 10AM

SOUTHWARK CROWN COURT:

Jim Devine Charged After Sunlight Investigation

Sunlight Team — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:40:52 +0000

The Crown Prosecution Service said “Two charges under section 17 of the Theft Act 1968 for false accounting have been brought against Jim Devine MP. The first charge alleges that between July 2008 and April 2009, Mr Devine dishonestly claimed £3,240 for cleaning services using false invoices. The second charge alleges that in March 2009, Mr Devine dishonestly claimed £5,505 for stationery using false invoices.”

Mr Devine was first reported to the police by the Sunlight Centre for Open Politics

Commenting today on the news Harry Cole from Sunlight said “this is a great day for transparency. Finally the message is getting through that law makers cannot be lawbreakers.”

Jim Devine MP Reported to Scotland Yard

chris — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 20:16:44 +0000

The Sunlight Centre for Open Politics has reported Jim Devine MP to the Metropolitan Police with regard to his parliamentary expenses on 20th June 2009. This includes the work completed on the shelves and rewiring that Mr Devine subsequently claimed for via a company that did not have a valid VAT number. Below is the letter send to the specialist economic fraud team at Scotland Yard:.

Shahid Malik Reported to Parliamentary Authorities

Sunlight Team — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:05:16 +0000

Shahid Malik MP was today reported to the Parliamentary Commission for Standards.

In a letter to John Lyon the Commissioner, the Sunlight Centre for Open Politics stated that despite being cleared of breaching the Ministerial Code by Sir Philip Mawer, it has subsequently emerged that Mr Malik is unable to provide any receipts or a written rental agreement to support his claims for the rent claimed on his constituency home.

That alone is enough to warrant an investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commission, however, allegations of further expenses controversies on the part of Mr Malik have now come to light.

While claiming for the full allowance for a London home, which we accept was within the rules, the question must be addressed of whether Mr Malik was misusing his office allowances in order to subsidise his constituency home, which would explain the below market rate rent for his home.

As reported this morning this morning, Mr Malik is alleged to be claiming office expenses for his constituency property and and a thorough investigation is required to make sure this is a legitimate use of public money.

Harry Cole from the Sunlight Centre for Open Politics said;

” ‘The Green Book’ rules for MPs’ expenses that were in place when these claims were made, stated: “You must ensure that arrangements for your office and surgery premises are above reproach and that there can be no grounds for a suggestion of misuse of public money.” (5.12.1) In our view Mr Malik’s arrangements were clearly not “above reproach” and there is prima facie evidence to suggest there has been “misuse of public money”.”

Submission to Sir Christopher Kelly on MPs’ Expenses

chris — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 12:22:48 +0000

Submission to the Committee on the Standards in Public Life Review on MPs’ Expenses

Sunlight COPs Appoints New Research Director

chris — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:39:38 +0000

I would like to introduce myself as the new Research Director of the Sunlight Centre for Open Politics. Some of you may already be aware of my former role as the civil servant involved in the ‘Greengate’ affair last November. If I had not been dismissed from that post I would never have been offered the opportunity to join Sunlight to delve into the cesspit which currently exists in British politics and expose the superannuated shop stewards, failed barristers and failed journalists and show how they have wrecked our country. This work will begin immediately with private prosecutions against……….

Simon Cawte’s Registration Entries

chris — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:12:37 +0000

Further Submission to Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Regarding Jacqui Smith

chris — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:10:40 +0000

Sunlight Complains to Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Over Jacqui Smith Second-Home Allowance Expenses Fiddle

chris — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:09:35 +0000

Sunlight COPs Makes New Complaint About Hain’s Lobbyist/Campaign Manager

chris — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:08:18 +0000

The lobbyist at the centre of the police investigation into Peter Hain’s mysterious campaign funding is the subject of a complaint to the Association of Professional Political Consultants for ethics breaches. This is the second complaint made to the self regulatory association after Morgan Allen Moore threatened action for libel against the first complainant – James Davenport – who under legal pressure and unable to afford legal action he withdrew his complaint without apologising, paying any damages or admitting any error.

Sunlight is better resourced and has taken up Davenport’s case in what we feel is an important test of the political lobbying industry’s ability to keep itself in order ethically and legally.

Press release below:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ANTI-CORRUPTION N.G.O. LODGES OFFICIAL COMPLAINT
ABOUT PETER HAIN LOBBYIST STEVE MORGAN

The Sunlight Centre for Open Politics has lodged an official complaint against lobbying agency Morgan Allen Moore and its Chairman, Steve Morgan.

The move comes after documentary evidence revealed use of the company’s facilities to assist Peter Hain’s campaign for election as deputy leader of the Labour Party.

In a letter to the Association of Professional Political Consultants – the industry body for lobbyists – the Centre for Open Politics said:

“the provision of campaigning and fund raising efforts by Morgan Allen Moore staff and directors to Peter Hain’s campaign is a benefit in kind.

“The provision of these facilities can clearly be construed as “a favour” under part 7 of the Code to a person in public life (Peter Hain). The provision of campaign favours such as the collection of donations via the MAM office does not seem compatible with part 12 of the Code.

“It is also not clear to us how the widely reported donation of £5,000 by Steve Morgan to Peter Hain’s campaign is compatible with the Code of Conduct. Please advise by return the procedure to be followed to progress this complaint.”

The Centre for Open Politics decided to lodge the complaint following the forced withdrawal of a similar complaint lodged by a private individual. It has been widely reported that Morgan Allen Moore abused the legal process to force the withdrawal.

A spokesman for the Centre for Open Politics said:

“It is clear from the information we have to hand that Morgan Allen Moore, and Steve Morgan in particular, committed multiple breaches of the rules set down by the APPC to govern the conduct of lobbyists. We do not believe that a big lobbying company like Morgan Allen Moore should abuse the courts to pressurise a private person into withdrawing a justified complaint about their conduct. As such, we have decided to submit a complaint about Morgan Allen Moore’s conduct ourselves.

“This case highlights everything that is wrong with today’s relationship between big lobbyists and politicians. The Centre for Open Politics will always challenge corruption and sleaze wherever it finds it.”

The Centre for Open Politics submitted its complaint to the APPC today.

ENDS