LIb DEM Treasury Minister Apologises Over Expenses

[One Day Soon]

"Chief Treasury Secretary David Laws has apologised after it emerged he had been claiming MPs' expenses to rent rooms in homes owned by his partner. Mr Laws said he would immediately pay back the money which the Daily Telegraph said totalled £40,000.
He said his motivation was to keep the relationship with the man private and not to reveal his own sexuality."

This is the 'clean' Party. The one that told us during the election it was time to break with the ways of the 'old' parties. These are the people who were going to 'clean up' politics. And this is the guy with lead responsibility for cutting public sector budgets.

LAUGHING MY ERSE OFF. Get it right up you, you hypocritical beige mother****ers.

[--------]

"Chief Treasury Secretary David Laws has apologised after it emerged he had been claiming MPs' expenses to rent rooms in homes owned by his partner. Mr Laws said he would immediately pay back the money which the Daily Telegraph said totalled £40,000.
He said his motivation was to keep the relationship with the man private and not to reveal his own sexuality."

This is the 'clean' Party. The one that told us during the election it was time to break with the ways of the 'old' parties. These are the people who were going to 'clean up' politics. And this is the guy with lead responsibility for cutting public sector budgets.

LAUGHING MY ERSE OFF. Get it right up you, you hypocritical beige mother****ers.


:agree: Indeed. Mr Laws owes me a new kitchen radio. Just drinking my eight o'clock cup of Java when that came on the radio. Coffee everywhere, radio drenched, end of broadcast.

I'm SO happy it was a LibDem. They SO deserve it. :devil:

His friends are claimimg that he's a 'very private person' who doesn't like publicity.

Neither would I if I'd skimmed £40,000 off my employers.

Just like Fred West was a home-loving bloke with a liking for DIY....


We lived in a Lib Dem constituency for 12 years, and the MP, the MSP, and their party workers were without exception the biggest bunch of superior, hypocritical, sanctimonious, self-serving haemorrhoids I've ever met in my puff. Wouldn't trust a one of them.

The way it worked was that they weren't 'common', so they didn't vote Labour, but they were 'nice', so they didn't vote Tory, and they were all terribly 'tolerant', so they couldn't vote for the nasty xenophobic SNP, and although they were all terrifically environmentally conscious, they didn't want to lose their 4-by-4's, so they couldn't vote Green.

So they all got into bed with a party that'll ally itself with Labour one minute, the Tories the next, and no doubt in a few years time they'll announce that after due consideration, there's a lot to be said for Mr Griffin and his nice stormtroopers after all, and they're looking forward to helping them implement effective immigration policies and more effective policing.

[hibsbollah]

I wonder if Steve Hilton has been watching The Thick of It....this will be his speech to David Laws;

Look, people really like it when you go just a bit early! You know, with the steely jawed, faraway look in your eyes! Before they get to the point when they sitting round in pubs and say "Oh, that ****er's got to go!", you surprise them! "Blimey, he's gone! I didn't expect that! Resigned! You don't see THAT much anymore! Old school! Respect! I rather liked the guy! He was hounded out by the ****ing press!" How about that, ah? What a way to go! Yeah!

[One Day Soon]

:agree: Indeed. Mr Laws owes me a new kitchen radio. Just drinking my eight o'clock cup of Java when that came on the radio. Coffee everywhere, radio drenched, end of broadcast.

I'm SO happy it was a LibDem. They SO deserve it. :devil:

His friends are claimimg that he's a 'very private person' who doesn't like publicity.

Neither would I if I'd skimmed £40,000 off my employers.

Just like Fred West was a home-loving bloke with a liking for DIY....


We lived in a Lib Dem constituency for 12 years, and the MP, the MSP, and their party workers were without exception the biggest bunch of superior, hypocritical, sanctimonious, self-serving haemorrhoids I've ever met in my puff. Wouldn't trust a one of them.

The way it worked was that they weren't 'common', so they didn't vote Labour, but they were 'nice', so they didn't vote Tory, and they were all terribly 'tolerant', so they couldn't vote for the nasty xenophobic SNP, and although they were all terrifically environmentally conscious, they didn't want to lose their 4-by-4's, so they couldn't vote Green.

So they all got into bed with a party that'll ally itself with Labour one minute, the Tories the next, and no doubt in a few years time they'll announce that after due consideration, there's a lot to be said for Mr Griffin and his nice stormtroopers after all, and they're looking forward to helping them implement effect immigration policies and more effective policing.

Thats right on the mark Doddie. And this, believe me, will only be the tip of the iceberg. When you are Roger Irrelevant carping from the sidelines the media don't bother too much. Go into coalition and become government Ministers and we are talking a whole different ball game. Every single one of their other MPs will be bricking it over whatever skeletons they thought they had safely tucked away in cupboards, because once the hard right elements of the media get stuck in they could have a field day. Having done one of them they will now see it as legitimate game to go after others in order to demonstrate that it isn't a one off.

If these morons have been daft enough to buy their own bull5h1t about them being different from, and cleaner than, all the others they are about to get a very, very rude awakening.

[One Day Soon]

Liberal Democrat MP and government Minister David Laws said:

"At no point did I consider myself to be in breach of the rules which in 2009 defined partner as 'one of a couple… who although not married to each other or civil partners are living together and treat each other as spouses'.

"Although we were living together we did not treat each other as spouses - for example we do not share bank accounts and indeed have separate social lives.
"However, I now accept that this was open to interpretation and will immediately pay back the costs of the rent and other housing costs I claimed from the time the rules changed until August 2009."

WTF?

If I was living with someone - and I was ****ging them - I would think that I was living with them as one of a couple. Wouldn't everyone else presume we were living as one of a couple too?

£40,000 this guy took. Where are David Cameron's brave pre-election words about not tolerating improper behaviour now? This guy attends Cabinet meetings as the second most senior finance minister in the British government. Where now are Nick Clegg's brave words about the power to recall MPs who have behaved improperly?

[One Day Soon]

I wonder if Steve Hilton has been watching The Thick of It....this will be his speech to David Laws;

Look, people really like it when you go just a bit early! You know, with the steely jawed, faraway look in your eyes! Before they get to the point when they sitting round in pubs and say "Oh, that ****er's got to go!", you surprise them! "Blimey, he's gone! I didn't expect that! Resigned! You don't see THAT much anymore! Old school! Respect! I rather liked the guy! He was hounded out by the ****ing press!" How about that, ah? What a way to go! Yeah!


I think if he's an afficionado of the programme his speech is more likely to be:

"Laws you stupid ar5e.n What kind of fluckwitted thick **** does this. I want your mincing bollocks on my desk in one hour and then you can ****ing well fluck yourself off to some dark hole in 5hiteville 4ever."

Just surmising.

[DaveF]

Clegg in the Daily Telegraph - August 2009

In the spring I set out a 100-day plan for radical change: giving people the right to sack their MP, getting big money out of politics, and abolishing the notion of a safe seat. But the Conservatives and Labour refused to contemplate that sort of upheaval. We cannot let them get away with this blatant attempt to maintain the status quo.

Well Nick, its time to back up the talking....

[lucky]

He has to resign from the cabinet and should also be investigated by the police over fraud. Jim Devine is facing jail over £8000 he got so this slimy two faced get should face similar consequences. This is the guy who told the country we need to have cut backs of £6.2 Billion while he and his partner were living of the backs of the tax payer. He is a bloody disgrace.

[steakbake]

He has to resign from the cabinet and should also be investigated by the police over fraud. Jim Devine is facing jail over £8000 he got so this slimy two faced get should face similar consequences. This is the guy who told the country we need to have cut backs of £6.2 Billion while he and his partner were living of the backs of the tax payer. He is a bloody disgrace.

Totally. He can't stay on. As for trying to split hairs over who is a partner and who isn't when he's lived with him for the best part of 9 years, that's just taking the piss.

Doesnt change the facts of having to cut £6bil, but to have a hypocrite like him telling us isn't going to help.

[Beefster]

Expect it to be announced soon that David Laws has resigned.

Edit: been confirmed.

[Jonnyboy]

Liberal Democrat MP and government Minister David Laws said:

"At no point did I consider myself to be in breach of the rules which in 2009 defined partner as 'one of a couple… who although not married to each other or civil partners are living together and treat each other as spouses'.

"Although we were living together we did not treat each other as spouses - for example we do not share bank accounts and indeed have separate social lives.
"However, I now accept that this was open to interpretation and will immediately pay back the costs of the rent and other housing costs I claimed from the time the rules changed until August 2009."

WTF?

If I was living with someone - and I was ****ging them - I would think that I was living with them as one of a couple. Wouldn't everyone else presume we were living as one of a couple too?

£40,000 this guy took. Where are David Cameron's brave pre-election words about not tolerating improper behaviour now? This guy attends Cabinet meetings as the second most senior finance minister in the British government. Where now are Nick Clegg's brave words about the power to recall MPs who have behaved improperly?

That'll be why he remortgaged his main residence to help his 'flat mate' buy a new house.

You couldn't make it up I tell ya

[hibsbollah]

The Liberal great and good have been bumping their gums on radio4 all day trying to offer him support.

Paddy Ashdown- 'I know David and I can tell you he's "Mr Conscientious"':fibber: . :applause:
Lembit Opik (officially Britain's most embarrasing MP 2009) was cringeworthy, called him 'a genius, and i dont use that word lightly'.:crazy:

Someone should have told them he was being forced to resign anyway:hmmm:

[steakbake]

The Liberal great and good have been bumping their gums on radio4 all day trying to offer him support.

Paddy Ashdown- 'I know David and I can tell you he's "Mr Conscientious"':fibber: . :applause:
Lembit Opik (officially Britain's most embarrasing MP 2009) was cringeworthy, called him 'a genius, and i dont use that word lightly'.:crazy:

Someone should have told them he was being forced to resign anyway:hmmm:

Opik. He's a ****ing ********. I don't use that word lightly.

[Removed]

Responding to Mr Laws' resignation letter, Prime Minister David Cameron said he was an "honourable man", adding: "I hope that, in time, you will be able to serve again."

Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he had always admired Mr Law's integrity and he hoped he would one day been able to return to government.
He said Mr Laws's privacy had now been "cruelly shattered".
Mr Cameron wrote: "The last 24 hours must have been extraordinarily difficult and painful for you.
"You are a good and honourable man. I am sure that, throughout, you have been motivated by wanting to protect your privacy rather than anything else.
"Your decision to resign from the government demonstrates the importance you attach to your integrity.

Honour, Integrity - these idiots don't know the meaning of the words. Laws should not be able to resign. He should be arrested and facing a trial for fraud.

6203

[Leicester Fan]

Where are David Cameron's brave pre-election words about not tolerating improper behaviour now? This guy attends Cabinet meetings as the second most senior finance minister in the British government. Where now are Nick Clegg's brave words about the power to recall MPs who have behaved improperly?

I'm sure you'll want to congratulate David Cameron and Nick Clegg now.

[bawheid]

I'm sure you'll want to congratulate David Cameron and Nick Clegg now.

Is David Laws being recalled?

[Mibbes Aye]

I'm sure you'll want to congratulate David Cameron and Nick Clegg now.

Why?

[cabbageandribs1875]

he's resigned http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/10191524.stm :agree:


Liberal Democrat David Laws has resigned as Chief Secretary to the Treasury after admitting he claimed expenses to pay rent to his partner.

hope he still pays back the 40K :greengrin

[Beefster]

Is David Laws being recalled?

They've been in power for about 2.5 weeks. If you expected a law to have been passed allowing the recall of MPs in that period, I'd say your expectations need revising.

[--------]

Frm his constituency website:

The call from the Downing Street switchboard: “Would you be able to see the Prime Minister in 30 minutes time?” The journey up 10 Downing Street – meeting Vince Cable in the waiting room. Seeing the PM. Being asked to take on the role of Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Around to the Treasury to meet the Chancellor.

My first decision in the Treasury – axing my chauffeur driven black Jaguar car, to save over £110,000 per year. How could I justify this spending while there is so much to cut?

.... I now have a very big responsibility in Government, and I am conscious of that responsibility every hour of the day. There is a very tough job to do, and I will have to take some unpopular decisions. But I have more chance of getting the right decisions from inside the Government than from the outside. And at least our country now has the stable Government which it needs in these uncertain times.

I am proud of our policy agreement – fairer taxes, restoring the pensions earnings link, a greener Britain, restoring civil liberties, helping the most disadvantaged pupils, cleaning up politics – and I want to help deliver it.

But I also repeat the pledge I made on election night two weeks ago – I will go on trying to serve every member of my constituency in the same way as I have sort to (Eh? "Sought to", surely?) over the last 10 years.

"Cleaning up politics" - way to go, Davy-boy. :rolleyes:

[One Day Soon]

I'm sure you'll want to congratulate David Cameron and Nick Clegg now.

Are you kidding? He should have been sacked on the spot. There should have been no dithering by Cameron and Clegg while they waited to see whether he could somehow tough it out and avoid a media backlash. That was just the same old cynical politics. Even now both leaders are pretending that this is some kind of personal tragedy rather than straightforward snout in trough stuff - which everyone else can see perfectly plainly. The punters on this thread have nailed it completely - particularly Jonnyboy.

Welcome to the next four years - IF it lasts that long - you're about to find out what its like to be on the receiving end. The only difference is that its going to be a lot worse for your side because both bits of it pretended that they were somehow different and above what goes on in all politics. Hell mend you.

And while I'm at it, losing the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in just three weeks - most banana republics couldn't even manage that. Well done the posh boys.

[Removed]

Are you kidding? He should have been sacked on the spot. There should have been no dithering by Cameron and Clegg while they waited to see whether he could somehow tough it out and avoid a media backlash. That was just the same old cynical politics. Even now both leaders are pretending that this is some kind of personal tragedy rather than straightforward snout in trough stuff - which everyone else can see perfectly plainly. The punters on this thread have nailed it completely - particularly Jonnyboy.

Welcome to the next four years - IF it lasts that long - you're about to find out what its like to be on the receiving end. The only difference is that its going to be a lot worse for your side because both bits of it pretended that they were somehow different and above what goes on in all politics. Hell mend you.

And while I'm at it, losing the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in just three weeks - most banana republics couldn't even manage that. Well done the posh boys.

:agree: but arrested more like

Even though I didn't vote for him and have no allegiance to his party, my ex mp is being charged over expenses of 8 or 9 grand and I'm not convinced yet that he has done anything wrong tbh. How much did Laws fraudulently claim, and it's defo not up for debate that he did it. Total disgrace.

[Beefster]

Are you kidding? He should have been sacked on the spot. There should have been no dithering by Cameron and Clegg while they waited to see whether he could somehow tough it out and avoid a media backlash. That was just the same old cynical politics. Even now both leaders are pretending that this is some kind of personal tragedy rather than straightforward snout in trough stuff - which everyone else can see perfectly plainly. The punters on this thread have nailed it completely - particularly Jonnyboy.

Welcome to the next four years - IF it lasts that long - you're about to find out what its like to be on the receiving end. The only difference is that its going to be a lot worse for your side because both bits of it pretended that they were somehow different and above what goes on in all politics. Hell mend you.

And while I'm at it, losing the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in just three weeks - most banana republics couldn't even manage that. Well done the posh boys.

I find it mildly amusing that folk are playing party politics with this when Labour have 3 MPs being tried for fraud and Jacqui Smith / Tony McNulty were found doing practically the same thing.

Tell me though, how long did it take for the 2 Labour Cabinet Ministers to resign or for Brown to sack them? I'm guessing it wasn't within a day of the revelations?

[One Day Soon]

I find it mildly amusing that folk are playing party politics with this when Labour have 3 MPs being tried for fraud and Jacqui Smith / Tony McNulty were found doing practically the same thing.

Tell me though, how long did it take for the 2 Labour Cabinet Ministers to resign or for Brown to sack them? I'm guessing it wasn't within a day of the revelations?

Sorry Beefy, that doesn't wash anymore. Your mob are in charge now and that is all that matters as far as the media hounds and the public are concerned.

Three weeks ago it was glad, confident morning and a brand new fresh start. 21 days later and a gigantic 5h1te bomb has exploded all over your shiny new coalition.

I'm presently savouring a large plate of gloat with an enormous side order of schadenfraude.

Only a Lib Dem could attempt to claim that a seven year live-in relationship did not constitute living with a partner. So he's given £40,000 of public money to his boyfriend, but the Tory Prime Minister and Chancellor and the Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister think there was nothing wrong in this. Better still they are publicly praising him. Is this some kind of weird private school thing that we lesser mortals don't understand?

[marinello59]

I'm presently savouring a large plate of gloat with an enormous side order of schadenfraude.
?

That must be a great comfort to the election losing Labour Party,'' look they are as bad as us.'' A pretty depressing state of affairs all round really isn't it?
Hopefully they will make your joy complete by engaging in an illegal and unpopular war as well.

[Leicester Fan]

its going to be a lot worse for your side because both bits of it pretended that they were somehow different and above what goes on in all politics.

The only reason anyone ever votes Labour is so that they can feel morally superior to the rest of us. If everybody took their record on the economy, crime, education;jobs,truthfulness and general competence into consideration they'd get less votes than the green party.

[Toaods]

The only reason anyone ever votes Labour is so that they can feel morally superior to the rest of us. If everybody took their record on the economy, crime, education;jobs,truthfulness and general competence into consideration they'd get less votes than the green party.

you obviously don't vote Labour so how would you know the reason others do?

FYI - I returned to a Labour vote this year , purely to keep the Tories out. I didnt get what I wanted , although SCotland stood firm as a nation.

Lib Dems - who are they anyway?

Bunch of librarians or closet gays.

The reason I said closet is that at least Labour encourage homosexuals to be open about their situation not be decitful like LAWS has.

He's merely deflecting the attention away from the fact he's been caught indulging in fraudulent expenses claims for which he should be charged immediately.


Meanwhile Cameron has played it with a straightbat, whilst probably jumping for joy, laughing and cheering behind closed doors as he worked his way through the Sunday Papers.

He doesn't have a remit to impose any sanctions on LAWS but what a result for the Tories....:bitchy:

[heretoday]

They're all saying what a clever chap he is and how much he'll be missed. Well he can't be much of a brainbox if he commits an error of judgement as serious as this.

A) As a government minister he lays himself open to blackmail if he's keeping secrets
B) He's reportedly a "multi-millionaire" so he didn't need £40,000 for his bidey-in.
C) Think of the folk who are going to have to suffer the whopping cuts he announced so smartly last week.

I was glad to see the back of old misery guts and I hope the new government does a good job but it's looking a bit teetery already!

[Leicester Fan]

Lib Dems - who are they anyway?

Bunch of librarians or closet gays.

The reason I said closet is that at least Labour encourage homosexuals to be open about their situation not be decitful like LAWS has.


That's a bit rich when you remember the Ron Davies' scandals in the early days of the new labour govt.

If David Laws wanted to keep his sexuality private that's his business. Not everyone wants to shout about their sex life from the roof tops.

As for DC being happy I doubt that. David Laws was probably the most able of the Liberals in the cabinet in fact the Tories tried to get him to defect to them before the election.

[Beefster]

Sorry Beefy, that doesn't wash anymore. Your mob are in charge now and that is all that matters as far as the media hounds and the public are concerned.

Three weeks ago it was glad, confident morning and a brand new fresh start. 21 days later and a gigantic 5h1te bomb has exploded all over your shiny new coalition.

I'm presently savouring a large plate of gloat with an enormous side order of schadenfraude.

Only a Lib Dem could attempt to claim that a seven year live-in relationship did not constitute living with a partner. So he's given £40,000 of public money to his boyfriend, but the Tory Prime Minister and Chancellor and the Lib Dem Deputy Prime Minister think there was nothing wrong in this. Better still they are publicly praising him. Is this some kind of weird private school thing that we lesser mortals don't understand?

Good for you. I tried to be consistent not slaughtering Labour ministers when it was obvious that members of all parties were at it. It's all very well supporting a political party and jumping on everything that the 'other lot' do wrong but you have to be careful not to stray into hypocrisy.

By the way, as you say, Laws is a Lib Dem so he's not one of 'my lot'.

[Toaods]

As for DC being happy I doubt that. David Laws was probably the most able of the Liberals in the cabinet in fact the Tories tried to get him to defect to them before the election.


....but Cameron will be happy.

2 major changes in the Lib-Dems side can only be good for the Tories, saves Cameron having to rake some muck up to keep them firmly in their place.


Laws apparently used his superb expenses record as ammo in the fight for the election and he openly berated local Tory opponents in his own constituency and surrounding areas too. Oh how teh mighty have fallen....:bye:

[bawheid]

They've been in power for about 2.5 weeks. If you expected a law to have been passed allowing the recall of MPs in that period, I'd say your expectations need revising.

Of course I didn't.

However, both Cameron and Clegg have gone strangely quiet on that front. When (if??) the law is eventually passed, I'd assume David Laws will be the first up against the wall...

But going by all of the fawning "personal tragedy" stuff, I somehow doubt it.

[Jonnyboy]

They're all saying what a clever chap he is and how much he'll be missed. Well he can't be much of a brainbox if he commits an error of judgement as serious as this.

A) As a government minister he lays himself open to blackmail if he's keeping secrets
B) He's reportedly a "multi-millionaire" so he didn't need £40,000 for his bidey-in.
C) Think of the folk who are going to have to suffer the whopping cuts he announced so smartly last week.

I was glad to see the back of old misery guts and I hope the new government does a good job but it's looking a bit teetery already!

I couldn't help thinking of this sketch when I heard all fawning

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T17VzztS60M

[Removed]

Just watched the BBC news. Can't believe some folk are actually feeling sorry for him.

Words fail me.

[Jonnyboy]

Just watched the BBC news. Can't believe some folk are actually feeling sorry for him.

Words fail me.

Exactly.

The guy claimed money he should not have claimed. Others having done the same have been charged, de-selected or just plain decided to go. What makes this guy any different? I suspect his excuse has got people treading on eggshells.

[Beefster]

Of course I didn't.

However, both Cameron and Clegg have gone strangely quiet on that front. When (if??) the law is eventually passed, I'd assume David Laws will be the first up against the wall...

But going by all of the fawning "personal tragedy" stuff, I somehow doubt it.

Sort of depends on his constituents and their views of his effectiveness as a constituency MP against his crimes, I'd think.

Seems Danny Alexander is the latest target of the Telegraph. This was always going to happen once the Lib Dems came under the same sort of scrutiny as the Tories and Labour.

[heretoday]

Does it have to be a Lib Dem in the Treasury job?

Strikes me the job should go to whoever has the most ability rather than a "quota" candidate.

Good luck to Alexander anyway.

[lapsedhibee]

Does it have to be a Lib Dem in the Treasury job?

Strikes me the job should go to whoever has the most ability rather than a "quota" candidate.

Good luck to Alexander anyway.

Maybe if a Lib and a Con get exposed at the same time, their substitutes needn't be from the same party. A Lib could be replaced by a Con and vice versa without upsetting the agreed carve-up. I think all parties have to have two U-21s on the bench.

[bighairyfaeleith]

Maybe if a Lib and a Con get exposed at the same time, their substitutes needn't be from the same party. A Lib could be replaced by a Con and vice versa without upsetting the agreed carve-up. I think all parties have to have two U-21s on the bench.

Like I said previously, they are all a bunch of *****. Just some are red, some are blue and some yellow. But all ***** never the less.

I got an email from the office of Nick Clegg to try and alleviate some of my concerns, it sounded like it was written by David Cameron. I have to say that I am one completely disenchanted voter. No idea who I will vote for in the autumn!

[DaveF]

The 'coming out' issue is being very well used by his defenders as a way of shielding the fact that he claimed for £40,000, so much so that the money has now become incidental as his personal tradgedy is the headline news.

I'm sure it's not easy telling your OAP folks you are gay, but I suspect they probably had a good idea of his sexual preferences before the Telegraph broke the news :rolleyes:

I'm amazed and annoyed that he seems to have got away with the skimming cash offence. OK, so him and his non partner have separate bank accounts, but are they really going to use that techincality to let him off the hook, claiming he made no financial gain?

Pathetic.

[marinello59]

The 'coming out' issue is being very well used by his defenders as a way of shielding the fact that he claimed for £40,000, so much so that the money has now become incidental as his personal tradgedy is the headline news.

I'm sure it's not easy telling your OAP folks you are gay, but I suspect they probably had a good idea of his sexual preferences before the Telegraph broke the news :rolleyes:

I'm amazed and annoyed that he seems to have got away with the skimming cash offence. OK, so him and his non partner have separate bank accounts, but are they really going to use that techincality to let him off the hook, claiming he made no financial gain?

Pathetic.

I actually think his 'coming out' defence will ultimately unravel on him. There was a spokesman for Stonewall on the Beeb last night who was less than impressed.

[Removed]

I'm amazed and annoyed that he seems to have got away with the skimming cash offence. OK, so him and his non partner have separate bank accounts, but are they really going to use that techincality to let him off the hook, claiming he made no financial gain?

Pathetic.

:agree: Strange defence that one Dave. Me and my wife have seperate bank accounts. I never promised to open a joint account when we got married. Who said that was a prerequisite :confused:

Pathetic is correct.

[matty_f]

At the end of the day, if he was wanting to protect his private life he shouldn't have been using the public's money to do it.

I think it's a disgrace, and there's no excuse for it. The government will try to play up the personal difficulties to make it look less like they've got crooks amongst them, but frankly I hope the public are savvy enough to see through it.

[lyonhibs]

This can't be right - I though this was an age for new age politics, a time to restore the public's faith in politics and politicians.

Old age corruption and sleaze out, fresh-faced accountability and honesty in, yadda, yadda f***ing yadda.

Turns out Nick "no Lib Dem politician was as heavily implicated in the expenses scandal as the other nasty 2 parties" Clegg is at the head of a parties with it's own fair share of self-interested, money motivated crooks as any other political party you wish to shake a stick at.

Different rosettes, same old ****!!!!

[Jonnyboy]

I heard on the news tonight that David Cameron is determined to forge ahead with his 'transparent government' plan. Apparently all senior servants earning over £150k a year will be named and that's just one example.

I wonder when he'll make transparent the obvious illegality of Mr Laws. Although I don't think Cameron himself, or Clegg for that matter have commented on the Laws thing I'd argue it's time they did and that they don't simply echo some of the quite frankly pathetic attempts to minimise what he's guilty of

[Sir David Gray]

I think this is disgraceful and I cannot believe that there's so many people queuing up to defend him and feel sorry for him.

The guy has taken £40,000 from honest, hard-working people in this country and it is not acceptable.

Let's not beat about the bush, what David Laws has done is extremely wrong and most "normal" people guilty of this kind of thing in any other walk of life would expect to do a stretch at Her Majesty's Pleasure.

I don't buy this argument about him trying to hide his sexuality so it's all ok and it's a shame for him etc. If Laws had been having a heterosexual affair that he had been trying to keep private and had been renting rooms at properties owned by his "bit on the side", there would not be a single ounce of sympathy coming his way. What he did was wrong, he must have known it to be wrong and it was against the rules. It's true what was said by someone on Question Time tonight, which is that ordinary people making claims for benefits don't have the luxury of keeping relationships a secret. If you make a claim and you receive money from the state and it's later found out that your situation is not quite as you said it was, you will end up in serious trouble.

Not only should David Cameron have forcibly removed him from the Cabinet with immediate effect (instead of him being allowed to resign) but there should now also be a by-election in his constituency to allow his constituents the opportunity to remove him as an MP. The latter should apply to every single MP accused of making dodgy expenses claims.

[Removed]

I think this is disgraceful and I cannot believe that there's so many people queuing up to defend him and feel sorry for him.

The guy has taken £40,000 from honest, hard-working people in this country and it is not acceptable.

Let's not beat about the bush, what David Laws has done is extremely wrong and most "normal" people guilty of this kind of thing in any other walk of life would expect to do a stretch at Her Majesty's Pleasure.

I don't buy this argument about him trying to hide his sexuality so it's all ok and it's a shame for him etc. If Laws had been having a heterosexual affair that he had been trying to keep private and had been renting rooms at properties owned by his "bit on the side", there would not be a single ounce of sympathy coming his way. What he did was wrong, he must have known it to be wrong and it was against the rules. It's true what was said by someone on Question Time tonight, which is that ordinary people making claims for benefits don't have the luxury of keeping relationships a secret. If you make a claim and you receive money from the state and it's later found out that your situation is not quite as you said it was, you will end up in serious trouble.

Not only should David Cameron have forcibly removed him from the Cabinet with immediate effect (instead of him being allowed to resign) but there should now also be a by-election in his constituency to allow his constituents the opportunity to remove him as an MP. The latter should apply to every single MP accused of making dodgy expenses claims.

:agree: :agree: :agree: :agree: :agree:

[Beefster]

I think this is disgraceful and I cannot believe that there's so many people queuing up to defend him and feel sorry for him.

The guy has taken £40,000 from honest, hard-working people in this country and it is not acceptable.

Let's not beat about the bush, what David Laws has done is extremely wrong and most "normal" people guilty of this kind of thing in any other walk of life would expect to do a stretch at Her Majesty's Pleasure.

I don't buy this argument about him trying to hide his sexuality so it's all ok and it's a shame for him etc. If Laws had been having a heterosexual affair that he had been trying to keep private and had been renting rooms at properties owned by his "bit on the side", there would not be a single ounce of sympathy coming his way. What he did was wrong, he must have known it to be wrong and it was against the rules. It's true what was said by someone on Question Time tonight, which is that ordinary people making claims for benefits don't have the luxury of keeping relationships a secret. If you make a claim and you receive money from the state and it's later found out that your situation is not quite as you said it was, you will end up in serious trouble.

Not only should David Cameron have forcibly removed him from the Cabinet with immediate effect (instead of him being allowed to resign) but there should now also be a by-election in his constituency to allow his constituents the opportunity to remove him as an MP. The latter should apply to every single MP accused of making dodgy expenses claims.

While some of your arguments are valid, the bit in bold isn't. Laws was raised as a strict Catholic so has practically been brainwashed since an early age that homosexuality is 'wrong'. I think that it's understandable that he'd have major reservations or doubts about 'coming out' (including telling his family) as a result.

Before I'm attacked by someone who hasn't read what I'm saying properly, I'm not defending his expenses, just saying his situation isn't comparable with some guy cheating on his wife.

[bawheid]

I think this is disgraceful and I cannot believe that there's so many people queuing up to defend him and feel sorry for him.

The guy has taken £40,000 from honest, hard-working people in this country and it is not acceptable.

Let's not beat about the bush, what David Laws has done is extremely wrong and most "normal" people guilty of this kind of thing in any other walk of life would expect to do a stretch at Her Majesty's Pleasure.

I don't buy this argument about him trying to hide his sexuality so it's all ok and it's a shame for him etc. If Laws had been having a heterosexual affair that he had been trying to keep private and had been renting rooms at properties owned by his "bit on the side", there would not be a single ounce of sympathy coming his way. What he did was wrong, he must have known it to be wrong and it was against the rules. It's true what was said by someone on Question Time tonight, which is that ordinary people making claims for benefits don't have the luxury of keeping relationships a secret. If you make a claim and you receive money from the state and it's later found out that your situation is not quite as you said it was, you will end up in serious trouble.

Not only should David Cameron have forcibly removed him from the Cabinet with immediate effect (instead of him being allowed to resign) but there should now also be a by-election in his constituency to allow his constituents the opportunity to remove him as an MP. The latter should apply to every single MP accused of making dodgy expenses claims.

Agree with your post FH but try not to sound like such a Daily Mail journalist (re bit in bold). He's taken money from dishonest, not so hard working people too. :greengrin

[Andy74]

Am I being thick?

I don't understand his defence at all.

He was trying to hide his sexuality?

What has that got to do with knowingly diverting expenses money to someone who he treated as a partner?

He knew he was his partener, h knew he was caliming expenses for payments to him.

What part of that was to do with hiding his sexuality?

[Leicester Fan]

Am I being thick?

I don't understand his defence at all.

He was trying to hide his sexuality?

What has that got to do with knowingly diverting expenses money to someone who he treated as a partner?

He knew he was his partener, h knew he was caliming expenses for payments to him.

What part of that was to do with hiding his sexuality?
He was renting a room which is allowed but he didn't want everybody knowing that his landlord was his 'special friend' so in fact he was renting from someone he was having a relationship with which isn't allowed.

If they had been open as a couple they could have bought a house between them and charged the mortgage to the taxpayer which would have been more.

He's done wrong no doubt about it but it's not as terrible as some people on here want to pretend.

[hibsdaft]

Am I being thick?

I don't understand his defence at all.

He was trying to hide his sexuality?

What has that got to do with knowingly diverting expenses money to someone who he treated as a partner?

He knew he was his partener, h knew he was caliming expenses for payments to him.

What part of that was to do with hiding his sexuality?

never followed this story so similarly confused. because he wanted it to appear that he was living with a landlord and not his partner? because he'd otherwise of been £40K out of pocket? or is the opposite the point? don't get it !


David Cameron have forcibly removed him from the Cabinet with immediate effect

what, drag him out by his shirt :greengrin

[Removed]

He was renting a room which is allowed but he didn't want everybody knowing that his landlord was his 'special friend' so in fact he was renting from someone he was having a relationship with which isn't allowed.

If they had been open as a couple they could have bought a house between them and charged the mortgage to the taxpayer which would have been more.

He's done wrong no doubt about it but it's not as terrible as some people on here want to pretend.

Who is pretending. Name them :grr:

[Jonnyboy]

He was renting a room which is allowed but he didn't want everybody knowing that his landlord was his 'special friend' so in fact he was renting from someone he was having a relationship with which isn't allowed.

If they had been open as a couple they could have bought a house between them and charged the mortgage to the taxpayer which would have been more.

He's done wrong no doubt about it but it's not as terrible as some people on here want to pretend.

You need to strip away all the bias here Leicester.

Bottom line (no pun intended) Laws claimed £40k to which he was not entitled. He's admitted and accepted that so I'm not sure where you are going with the bit in bold?

As a famous Hibs.net poster might say .....

He is guilty FACT - END OF :wink:

[marinello59]

You need to strip away all the bias here Leicester.

Bottom line (no pun intended) Laws claimed £40k to which he was not entitled. He's admitted and accepted that so I'm not sure where you are going with the bit in bold?

As a famous Hibs.net poster might say .....

He is guilty FACT - END OF :wink:

:agree:
He also failed to mention that his partner was a lobbyist. Another breach of the rules.

[Leicester Fan]

You need to strip away all the bias here Leicester.

Bottom line (no pun intended) Laws claimed £40k to which he was not entitled. He's admitted and accepted that so I'm not sure where you are going with the bit in bold?

As a famous Hibs.net poster might say .....

He is guilty FACT - END OF :wink:

I said he'd done wrong and he did need to go I'm not arguing about that. Personally apart from those (ex)MPs who are getting prosecuted I always thought this expenses scandal was a lot of fuss about nothing.
Like my old Dad used to say, It's only a fiddle if you're not in on it. If you're in on it it's a perk.

[Jonnyboy]

I said he'd done wrong and he did need to go I'm not arguing about that. Personally apart from those (ex)MPs who are getting prosecuted I always thought this expenses scandal was a lot of fuss about nothing.
Like my old Dad used to say, It's only a fiddle if you're not in on it. If you're in on it it's a perk.

In a way your old Dad was right :greengrin

I think one factor that's been overlooked/ignored by/not picked up by the media is the fact that the expenses scheme was an approved one and was processed and monitored by Civil Servants. It seems obvious that in allowing some of the more obscure 'duck pond' types of claims the Civil Servants have examined the rules at that time and been unable to see that such claims did not meet the criteria.

Civil Servants will have monitored and processed what was put in front of them so I'm not saying they did anything wrong but you'd think the most senior of those Civil Servants might have raised a concern when many of the obscure claims were made? I mean the essence of the scheme was to pay MP's out of pocket expenses for costs incurred as a result of them being MP's so how the Civil Servants equated 'duck pond' type claims to that base criteria mystifies me!

The system as was lent itself to the 'join in, it's free' attitude adopted by many of the claimants and as such was a disgrace. Hopefully the new scheme will overcome those concerns.

Meantime, Laws has been a bad boy, has admitted as much after he was caught and so should now pay the penalty. His sexuality is not relevant though he tried to use that as a reason for not declaring his relationship with his 'landlord.' It matters not whether he is Gay, Straight or Australian :greengrin