Interesting turn of events with the Tories offering to pay back some of the more ... questionable claims.
Tories will pay back 'wrong' claims
It's a start, but it's not enough. Also, it rather begs the questions:
- If they can pay these sums back so easily, why did they claim ('cos they could)
- Are they willing to pay them back only because they were caught with their noses in the trough.
- If they're willing to pay them back without objection - did they know the claims were improper.
I think in many [most?] cases the answers will be yes, yes and yes.
If so, they should not only be forced to pay the sums back (with interest) their claims for the last ten years [at least] should be investigated for fraud and/or misappropriation of public funds and they should be prosecuted as necessary. Some of the claims would be laughable were it not taxpayer funds they're abusing.
Regardless of the 'rules' those who have willingly admitted to pay back questionable claims (and thus likely knew they were in the wrong) should be forced to stand down as MPs and be barred from public office indefinitely (tricky, that last one).
Ditto for Labour, who (as per a recent thread I started) are about to have the police investigate some of the worst offenders (Hoon, unsurprisingly is on that list - a weasel of a man) and that munchkin Blears should be one of the first against the wall.
I accept that one or two innocents may get caught up ... well if they can't prove that's the case -
tough.
I wonder what dirty laundry remains unwashed?