MEPs' EXPENSES

Following last week's revelations about UKIP MEP Tom Wise, you may like to see this offering on Tory David Sumberg

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/1105_brussels_exposed_2.shtml

Is UKIP trying to bankrupt the EU?

UKIP have always said they wanted to bring the EU down from the inside.
They obviously failed, but are they trying to bankrupt the EU instead?

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/1105_brussels_exposed.shtml

MEPs EMPLOYMENT OF FAMILY MEMBERS

Tory MP Derek Conway was recently exposed for employing his two sons in his office while they were at university and working elsewhere. Allegedly neither of them actually did any work for their father as their allegiances were somewhere else. Although Conway denied this, he will not stand again for the House of Commons at the next general election.

Yesterday the European Parliament voted to ban MEPs employing their relatives. I was one of the large parliamentary majority who supported this measure.

Our allowances and expenses are rightly being closely scrutinised. It is important that you as taxpayers know what we receive and how we spend it.

BRIAN COLEMAN'S EXPENSES

Tory GLA Member Brian Coleman has run up a £4,147 taxi bill this year - more than all the GLA Members put together, including Ken Livingstone. He managed to claim £420 in one fell swoop by asking the cab to wait while he addressed a meeting of the Jewish Forum in Barnet during December.

While I firmly believe we elected representatives need adequate resources to do our jobs, over four grand to travel round the capital seems a bit steep, especially since Ken's transport improvements have made it much easier.

The odious Coleman denies booking any of the cars himself. He thought he was being ferried around in a GLA official car. "Because I've been Chairman and Deputy Chairman I'm entitled to an official car when attending official functions in the morning dress and wearing the diamonds around my neck," he told "Metro" newspaper.

Yet there is no official car and indulging in the bells and whistles of office is Coleman's choice ninety-nine percent of the time. Murad Qureshi, a Labour Member of the Greater London Assembly said, "He (Coleman) justifies getting taxis everywhere because he wears his bling around. There's no reason for him even to be wearing it."
You and I are paying Mr Coleman's insecure need to puff himself up. His sense of self-importance is really quite extraordinary and expensive.

UKIP MAYOR OF LONDON CANDIDATE

UKIP's candidate for Mayor of London, Gerard Batten, is obviously fighting hard to clear up corruption and improve financial transparency. On his campaign website he promises to "give Londoners value for money" and challenges Ken Livingstone's "lies" over how much the London Assembly costs.

However, Batten is clearly concerned that he is not being treated seriously enough. On 4th April he wrote to the Guardian to complain that he wasn't getting enough publicity. He said that "The way that some elements of the media have so far reported this election is a disgrace in a so-called democracy"

When not campaigning for Mayor of London, Batten is also a UKIP MEP for London. All MEPs have to submit a declaration of financial interests to the European Parliament every year. Unless MEPs expressly object, this is then made public on the European Parliament's website.

There are nine MEPs for London but Batten is the only MEP who refuses to allow his declaration of financial interests to be made public on Parliament's website.

Perhaps Batten might like to explain to the public why they can't see who he's taking money from before they vote for him.