Monday, June 9, 2008

Tories up to their necks in sleaze allegations

I have lost count of the number of Tory MEPs and MPs who have been the subject of sleaze allegations over the last few days. Obligingly, Conservative Home gives us a nice little summary based on this morning's press:

Seven Conservatives face sleaze questions says The Sun

Five of the seven are sitting MEPs - The Sun

£160,000 donated to Tories and Alan Duncan's office was not fully declared - Telegraph

"The Telegraph has learnt that 15 out of 28 Tory MEPs have failed to disclose full details of how they spend staff and office allowances worth over £200,000 every year. Hugh Thomas, the Conservatives' newly-appointed "head of compliance", will this week arrive in Brussels in an attempt to clear up a series of scandals over payments of staffing expenses to "family firms" and relatives of Tory MEPs." - Telegraph

"Mr Cameron removed the Tory whip from Derek Conway, the MP who paid his two sons from public funds. MEPs who have broken the rules will face a similar fate. They would be unable to stand as Tory candidates at elections to Strasbourg which take place next year. Yesterday three more Tory members – Sir Robert Atkins, Sajjad Karim and John Purvis – were the subject of revelations about their expenses. Last week, the leader and the chief whip of the Tory MEPs lost their positions." - Independent

The Independent calls for Caroline Spelman to be removed as Chairman

"In the short term, Mr Cameron must get rid of Caroline Spelman as chairman of his party. This may seem harsh, but the Tories need to look whiter than white just now. If not, they risk being tarred once again with an unsavoury image – one that that they had only recently succeeded in shedding." - Independent leader

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