There is a letter going around, from various Labour party members to the NEC, which meets on Tuesday. The full letter is here, but the gist is that those of us spending our precious free time campaigning for the party, at our own expense, are not happy about the behaviour of some of our party’s MPs or the leadership’s response to them.We are asking the NEC to
- Organise a thorough review of suspected excessive and abusive claims – regardless of whether they were eventually signed off by an over-worked Fees Office.
- Support the immediate removal of the whip from individual MPs who have brought the party into disrepute over this issue and allow CLPs to trigger reselection ballots against them.
Not a lot to ask for is it?
Anybody else who wants to add their signature to the letter can do so by sending a mail to necletter@hotmail.co.uk – just make sure you mention any positions you hold in the party – constituency chair, PPC, councillor, or whatever.
I have added my name to it, although I will not be around to see what happens at the NEC meeting…  ironically, I shall be off in France for a couple of days with work and therefore on expenses. Not as hypocritical as it sounds: they will all be properly receipted, wholly necessary, and lower than they could be – taking the RER as far as I can and a taxi just for the last little bit.
Danivon // May 18, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Email has been sent.
Richard // May 18, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Methinks you\’re too late, Labour Guys & Gals (& the Cons/Lib Dems too)
UKIP & BNP have a good chance now – and even an Independent could threaten 😉
Skuds // May 21, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Ever the optimist eh Richard?
Danivon // May 19, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Frankly, it transcends party. Any MP could be involved, based on their personal ethics more than their politics. I would have thought Labour and Lib Dem politicians were less prone, but that’s naive (and the New Labour tendency have dragged our party towards greed, unfortunately).
We all know how ethical UKIP are when they go to Europe (two MEPs done for fraud isn’t it?). Can’t see any party (or Independent) being able to guarantee total probity to be honest.
Richard // May 20, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Well, I’m as pure as the driven slush – just like the Fees Office 😉