Ten day suspension likely for Derek Conway MP

Breaking news over at BBC Online: "A complaint that Tory MP Derek Conway wrongly paid his son MP allowances has been upheld by MPs on the Commons Standards and Privileges committee.  Mr Conway is accused of paying his son Freddie to work part-time as a researcher while at university.  The committee recommends that the MP is suspended for 10 Commons sitting days.  Mr Conway told the committee that his son worked an average of 17 hours a week for him and that he did not infringe the staffing allowance rules."

3pm: Robert Winnett explains how Google was used to find this out, and asks why Parliamentary authorities block access to details about MPs' staff.

Comments

[Umbrella man]

This is a reminder of why we play with fire when we focus on Labour sleaze instead of developing our own policy agenda.

[London Tory]

Bleeding hole in foot and smoking gun in hand spring to mind.

[The Huntsman]

Some may think it is playing with fire: others may just be pleased that the rules are obeyed and, if not, are enforced in all corners of the House, regardless of partisan interest.

[The Huntsman]

Some may think it is playing with fire: others may just be pleased that the rules are obeyed and, if not, are enforced in all corners of the House, regardless of partisan interest.

[Jon Brown]

If he deliberately employed his son simply to claim the expenses, rather than to get any research done, he is lucky it is not a police matter. I've known people go to prison for less.

[Comstock]

Any situation where people are able to employ members of their own family and have them paid via allowances is always going to be open to question, even if they are geniunely working.

[Iain]

Sometimes you wonder at the sheer stupidity of MP's.

Is Conway going to return the cash?

[Steve R]

Imagine if someone living on a council estate had stolen £25k of taxpayers' money. There would be outrage, and calls for a tough prison sentence. Not for MPs though.

Pretty sickening. Shouldn't he be expelled from the Party?

[Bishop Hill]

Steve R thinks he should be expelled from the party. I agree. And he should be waving bye-bye to his MP's pension too. He has been caught fiddling his expenses and the book should be thrown at him.

[lucas smith]

There is no reason at all for this not to become a criminal enquiry. This is essentially theft and reflects the arrogance and disdain in which some MP'S hold the British public.

[lucas smith]

There is no reason at all for this not to become a criminal enquiry. This is essentially theft and reflects the arrogance and disdain in which some MP'S hold the British public.

[David Strauss]

See here for a further issue:-

http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/MPs-claimed-nearly-£4million-in-expenses-newsinkent6298.aspx

[Richard]

He should be expelled from the party immediately. Corruption is never acceptable.

By expelling him it would at least show that such behaviour is not tolerated.

[Malcolm Dunn]

What a fool. If this is true, the Conservative party should not seek to make any excuses at all for him.

[Rod Sellers]

A lot of this comes down to subjective view on whether the work done is worth the money paid - not that he employed his son. This was the problem that IDS had - and was cleared.

Conway should take the mild punishment with good grace and put the spotlight right back on Hain (and Johnson - and Harman - and Alexander and..........

[Adam Jackson]

Apparently his son was "all but invisible", there was no evidence of him working, and was in fact a student away at Newcastle University for most of this time. This really is akin to theft and as Steve R rightly says, an ordinary citizen who acted in this manner would be dismissed from their employer and possibly prosecuted. I also find Conway's 'apology' insulting - refering to "my admistrative shortcomings" - almost identical to the excuse of Peter Hain.

I think he should definately stand down at the next election, or be expelled from the party. We can argue about candidate selection, but the basic principle is that Conservative MPs must be honest and be seen to be so.

[Passing Leftie]

Tory sleaze has always been about personal self-enrichment and nepotism. This is far, far worse than anything Hain did - Conway should be deselected and investigated by the police.

Just keep banging away at so-called Labour sleaze and watch it come round and bite you in the basckside.

[michael m]

If David Cameron is really serious in nailing Labour on this sleaze stuff he should expel NOW conway from the parliamentary party as an example that he will not tolerate this sort of conduct from his MPs. It is no good trying to say that it is a private matter.

otherwise, all we are going to get on the media from the likes of Stephen Pound etc will be reminding people of Conway and making him sound as bad as those who now faced crimial enquiries

For Heavens sake Mr Caneron, show us you will not stand for Conway's behaviour- get rid now

[Serf]

Some may think it is playing with fire: others may just be pleased that the rules are obeyed and, if not, are enforced in all corners of the House, regardless of partisan interest.

I second that. There will always be those on both sides of the house who play fast and loose with the rules. As a Conservative, I expect our party's leaders not to defend the indefensible, thus turning personal failings into party scandal. The public is already tending toward "A Plague on both their houses" in response to a decade of Labour slease.

If he really has been stealing money for his son, we should withdraw the whip at the very least.

DC should go on record that he will deal fast and tough with sinners, thus marking a big difference between him and the strange ditherer in No.10.

[HF]

What a stupid man.

[Tory Wet]

This is a key test for Cameron. If he does nothing and hopes the matter will simply go away, his views on Labour sleaze are worthles and hypocritical.

[The Huntsman]

Passing Leftie's observation shows that he or she is a dunderhead and cannot be allowed to pass unchallenged.

Most of Labour's sleaze - the fund-raising for the party or for personal campaigns - has been about helping to sustain the party in power or to promote the political power of individual labour members which is, most would think, of a far more serious order when compared with the individual acts of personal enrichment, personal gratification or things otherwise personally beneficial(eg acts of perjury).

The former is a species of political corruption the latter of mere personal corruption. The former is considerably more serious and one which some of us are determined to nail.

This provides the leadership with a useful opportunity to make clear that those conservatives caught in this way can expect little sympathy and that, unlike Labour whose sleazebags are encouraged to linger, they will be expected to draw the appropriate conclusion at an early stage.

Why not make an example of him and have him deselected? That ought to send the right message to others so tempted.

[Iain]

"If David Cameron is really serious in nailing Labour on this sleaze stuff he should expel NOW conway from the parliamentary party"

Or at the very least demand that Conway repays all the money he has given to his son, I hear £40k, not just the £10k odd the Parliamentary standards has demanded he returns.

[Edward Giles]

He has been dishonest. He should have the whip withdrawn and be deselected. Cameron should act today and be seen to be decisive.

[Duncan Borrowman]

I have absoluteoly no sympathy with him on this, coupled with the other issues over his expenses he really should be facing a lot more than a 10 day suspension and being asked to give the money back.
http://www.borrowman.org.uk/news/000051/lib_dem_slams_fat_cat_mp.html

Duncan Borrowman
Lib Dem PPC in Derek conway's seat

[Prentiz]

There should be an out and out ban on MPs employing members of their own family - and there's no reason why we shouldn't declare one unilaterally as a party. It has been a ripe cause of suspicion in the past and, even if it is a legitimate job being done, it raises an unacceptable spectre of suspicion. Time for Cameron to ban jobs one expenses for family members.

[Iain]

"There should be an out and out ban on MPs employing members of their own family -"

You might have thought that following the investigation into the employment of IDS's wife MP's would have acted with caution when employing family members, yet here we have another instance of the utter arrogance of MP's where just like the dodgy donations with Labour, they don't bother to take any notice of anything and carry on in their own sweet way.

Conway as the most expensive MP racking up £140k in expenses, debiting the state for a second home even though he only live 12 miles from Westminster, seems to have been in Parliament for self enrichment rather than there to represent his constituents, as such it wouldn't seem to be much of a loss if he was deselected and someone better found to represent his constituents.

[Man in a Shed]

There is always a danger in passing judgement on just reported facts - however this looks very serious.

If this was a benefit claimant rather than an MP the courts would now be involved.

MPs must be held to the same standards that the rest of us are expect to maintain.

There are two ways forward for Mr Conway:
1) Announce he will stand down as a MP.
2) Clear his name.

[Iain]

On thinking about it I wonder if this Conway situation explains why we have such ineffective opposition, an ineffectiveness many of us have complained about.

For here we have Conway trousering £140k in expenses, money which should have been sufficient to propel him right to the front of the media eye with his campaigns and holding the Government to account, yet today is the first day I have heard anything about him.

[Oberon Houston]

Why don't we call the police before some pu-up job is done by the Labour Party?

Regardless of that if I were Party Leader , I would want to investigate this further before making a decision on what to do. At the very least he has made arrangements which look highly improper, and at worst a fraud charge should be brought against him.

This kind of stuff makes me feel sick. If it was a private company being defrauded or made to look corrupt what would happen to the person responsible? They would be sacked and told that their stuff would be brought down to them in the car park in a box.

[Mark Fulford]

Passing Leftie, your insinuation that Conservatives are worse people than Labour is offensive and doesn't stand up to scrutiny. You should have a good look at Prescott's sleaze before making sweeping by-party character judgements.

If this story is as it appears, Cameron should do what Dithering Brown failed to do – act now and act decisively.

[Jim]

He's got to go. Cameron should withdraw the whip immediately. It's an appaling scandal that will wound the Conservative's credibility enormously if left unresolved.

[MartinW]

The Party must investigate this matter with all possible speed, and if deemed guilty of this gross misuse of public funds, then Cameron should act immediately (i.e. within a day) to remove the Whip from this man. Thereafter I hope other measures, such as deselection, will also be considered.

[Yet Another Anon]

There are two ways forward for Mr Conway:
1) Announce he will stand down as a MP.
2) Clear his name.
If there is no evidence then presumably he can't clear his name, he was apparently unable to submit any that his son had done any work at all, however the authorities that be have seen fit to require him to return the monies concerned out of his own pocket and have applied a suspension and surely so far as that goes there is no need for him to inflict a by-election on his constituents though it would be reasonable to deselect him.

[Bexie]

Looking at the reports, there appears to be no evidence that his son did any work for him. That being the case it would be misappropriation of funds and a police matter.

Since the committee on Public Standards has already investigated him and found him guilty as sin he should do the respectable thing and take the Chiltern Hundreds. If no then the party whip should be taken from him.

[Frederick James]

Can I add my voice to the majority view on here? It would be a desperate error to hand our opponents a potent weapon like this. He must be kicked out immediately (and so must anyone else found with their hand in the till, no matter how senior they may be).

Handled properly, it is a golden opportunity to show clear blue water on sleaze between Cameron and Brown.

[Sean Fear]

Passing Leftie, your insinuation that "Conservatives are worse people than Labour is offensive and doesn't stand up to scrutiny. You should have a good look at Prescott's sleaze before making sweeping by-party character judgements."

I read his post slightly differently to you. It seemed to me that the implication was that Labour sleaze was on a much bigger scale than the kind of petty corruption that various Conservatives have been guilty of over the years.

[Malcolm Dunn]

I have to say that this thread contrasts sharply with those of several Labour blogs recently where the antics of Hain,Abrahams, Harman, Alexander etc were either defended (usually badly) or ignored.
Far from Tories being worse people than Labour supporters Passing Leftie, aren't you glad that on the whole we are so much better?!

[Josephine]

1) He should be sacked immediately - I backed Cameron from the start - I believe he wants more open and honest politics - this would only help him.

2) We as a party should start insisting on full recipts for all claims.

3) As long as there is transparency, then I do not have a problem with using family (mostly it comes down to who you trust)

3) Nuff said - to angry to write more - I am having a hard time not to use profanities..
jo

[Annabel Herriott]

My memory is tickling me here. Perhaps you lot can help. What was it about Derek Conway when IDS was being toasted? wrongly as it happens. Wasnt he one of the "persecutors?" If so, pot/kettle/hypocracy comes to mind. It might have been something else, but there was something in print about him a few years ago.

[Mike]

I agree with all above who say that he should have the whip withdrawn at once. This should be regarded as fraudulent misuse of public funds - and taking firm action may result in many other MP's of all parties hastily cleaning up their act, saving money.

[passing leftie]

Passing Leftie's observation shows that he or she is a dunderhead and cannot be allowed to pass unchallenged.

A dunderhead - thank you? You get a better class of insult on Conservative Home! I'll add it to my list.

So, you are suggesting that what Hain did is worse than what Hamilton and ex-Lord Archer did? Wow. Asking questions in parliament for money is something I don't think Labour will come near matching. Thank you for showing the Tory moral compass in full oscillation.

As for you Mr Fulford, you inferred it, I did not insinuate it. The Tory sleaze which instigated the tightening of the rules of donation is of a different (for you droll Mr Dunn) WORSE order than donation issues Labour is involved with.

Labour was stupid to introduce such high donation standards - it's backfired badly.

If any Labour MP does something similar, I'll be the first to put the boot in.

But as individuals, misguided though you all are, I wouldn't say that in general Tories are any "worse people" than Labour supporters, nor did I imply it. I'm pleased that we all appear to be in agreement that he should go.

[Iain]

"What was it about Derek Conway when IDS was being toasted?"

I don't remember any connection, but I am staggered at the stupidity of Conway who having seen the witch hunt IDS was subject to over his wife’s employment, goes and blithely pays his son tax payers money for doing nothing.

If nothing else he should be sacked for being a stupid idiot!

[bedblocker watch]

What is the point of Derek Conway anyway?

[Sean Fear]

"So, you are suggesting that what Hain did is worse than what Hamilton and ex-Lord Archer did? Wow. Asking questions in parliament for money is something I don't think Labour will come near matching. Thank you for showing the Tory moral compass in full oscillation.
."

Hamilton committed no criminal offence, while Hain is currently under investigation by the police, under suspicion of having committed a criminal offence. If Hain is shown to have committed a criminal offence, then, yes, that would be a good deal worse than taking money for asking questions.

"The Tory sleaze which instigated the tightening of the rules of donation is of a different (for you droll Mr Dunn) WORSE order than donation issues Labour is involved with. "

Passing laws which you then violate is actually worse than never having passed such laws in the first place. It shows that you regard yourself as being above the law.

[London Tory]

Conway is the latest in a history of duds from Old Bexley and Sidcup.....

[peter robinson]

Behave like this in any other sphere and one would rightly face charges of theft/embezzlement.Do it as an MP and expect a 10 day suspension.Decency and honest appear to be unknown to this generation of politicians.

[Letters From A Tory]

Scandals both big and small will always haunt the major parties in British politics. The only way to survive them is for the leader of the party to set the tone - and his silence on this issue is very disappointing.

[Iain]

"Conway as the most expensive MP racking up £140k in expenses, "

I think I should correct myself and apologise, for Conway isn't the most expensive MP, there are 20 others who rack up more expenses than he does, most of them Labour MP's

[London Tory]

I found his performance in the House of Commons this afternoon buttock clenchingly poor. Can't we as a Party do better than people like this?

[Duncan Borrowman]

No need to contact the Police. I have sent them a letter.
http://www.borrowman.org.uk/news/000052/lib_dem_calls_for_police_investigation_into_derek_conway.html

[Steve R]

Cameron is probably dithering because if he withdraws the whip for Conway, he might end up having to do the same for other MPs, and maybe even his own front bench.

He should order his MPs to get their house in order with immediate effect. I suspect a lot of MPs/peers are paying off their family and pocketing the cash, while no work is being done.

It really is sickening that we should be governed by such a bunch of crooks. In what world does Conway live in that he thinks this was an "administrative" error?

[passing leftie]

No need to contact the Police. I have sent them a letter.

How public spirited of you. I suspect this isn't the first time a LibDem has helped police with their enquiries!

[passing leftie]

Let's see if Cameron shows some decisiveness on this issue. Brown's half-hearted support for Hain was pitiful.

[party activist]

We have to face up to the fact that there is a small number of Tory MPs who are greedy for everything they can lay their hands on, financially speaking.

it's time for the Whips to pull themselves together and start getting tough with Members who are besmirching the Party and blackening the reputation of their decent colleagues.

One MP I know of employs his wife (and she genuinely does work) as his secretary because otherwise he'd rarely see her, since he is very conscientious at his work.

[Marianne]

David Cameron now MUST taken action to clean up the mess. We all know the labour people are cheating the system. Cameron has to be seen to be proving that he is an honest politician, leading an honest party that the public can trust. What this man Conway has done beggars belief.

[David Lindsay]

There are worse MPs than Derek Conway, but I suppose he's brought it on himself. However, note how the Cameron-supporting BBC has made a point of mentioning his - vindicated - accuser's BNP membership. I am proud to be an old enemy, and continuing local bogeyman, of the BNP. But why does this membership matter in this context? It doesn't. And would the Beeb have helped out a Labour MP like that these days? It wouldn't.

[Iain]

"what world does Conway live in that he thinks this was an "administrative" error?"

More confusing and something I can't quite figure is Conway's suggestion that he let his family down. How so? As he was paying a member of his family , did he let his family down by getting caught? Not pay them enough? Not demand he got something for the money he paid his son?

The fact is his family were in on the scam, so I can't figure how he can suggest he let them down. The people he wronged and let down were his constituents and the tax payer, from the bit I have heard of Conway's statement he hasn't shown any regret at letting them down!

[Malcolm Dunn]

'The Cameron supporting BBC', a surreal comment, even for you Mr Lindsay.

[David Lindsay]

Not at all, Mr Dunn. Nothing critical of him is ever on the BBC. It didn't mention his spat with John Redwood over rape. It didn't mention the ilegal donations to his Constituency Association. It didn't even mention his dangerous cycling. It never mentions Tory rebellions. And so one could go on.

Now it is even billing the man who successfully pursued a Tory MP for sleaze as a BNP member, irrelevant though that is. In other words, it will give a platform to someone specifically as a BNP member in order to cover a Tory's back.

Why? Because Cameron is the candidate of sex, drugs and rock'n'roll; he is the Heir To Blair. Those of you who would defend him should consider that very long and very hard.

[Hurst Llama]

The Party Leadership will have known about this case for weeks. I would have expected any competent leader to have already thought through the issues and necessary future actions.

That there has been no immediate announcement from Cameron is, therefore, indicative as to his ability.

If Conway still has the Party whip this time tomorrow then we shall know a lot more about Cameron's true values and beliefs.

If Conway is not deselected by his local party in the very near future then then people will be entitled to assume that fraud, corruption and lies are part of the Conservative Party's stock in trade.

[Bill]

I agree with those who think Cameron should say something about this. He's been quick to act in the past.

[Mark Fulford]

As for you Mr Fulford, you inferred it, I did not insinuate it.

Passing Lefie, I apologise for misreading your post so badly. For the record, will you agree that the average Conservative is every bit as noble as the average Labour supporter?

[S Jamieson]

Now Conway's been around a long time. I remember when he was Deputy Chairman of Northern Area YCs at the age of 17.So he should have known better

As it is one notes David Cameron's silence on this, one must compare and contrast it with the treatment given to Nigel Hastelow in Dudley or is that different?

[Joe James Broughton]

I rather like Derek Conway. He joked in December 2005 that he went to a pole dancing club after the leadership campaign wake....

Hopefully this will be resolved.

[nigel syson]

Derek Conway is a very lucky man. Having lost one safe seat he is rewarded with another. It should be an honour to be an MP. As a retread I would expect him to know the rules and at the very least have an audit trial to show work done. As Taxpayers money has been spent I would expect the whip to be removed and that at the next election we will have a new candidate for his seat.

[Tory Convert]

This is my first comment here and for that matter, only my second on any blog of any kind. However, I feel strongly that Conway should resign from the party / be expelled immediately. DC needs to wash his hands of him post haste. As has been said, this is the only way the Conservatives can distance themselves from the sleaze that is fast enveloping Brown and his ilk.

[eugene]

This really smells.

He needs to be expelled.

[Mr Angry]

Passing Leftie, I have two words for you: Lee Jasper.

Labour financial corruption is on a massive scale and involes wholesale misappropriation of vast sums of public money for the benefit of both individual Labour figures and your morally bankrupt party as well. If you think that Archer or Hamilton are worse than Hain, Peter Watt, Harman, Wendy Alexander, Prescott, Jasper, Livingstone etc etc then it truly is you who have completely lost their moral compass, that is if you, in common with so very many in Labour, ever had one in the first place.

[Paul]

For this level of abuse 10 days suspension (additional holiday) is just laughable,in the private sector it would be instant dismissal for a fraction of this amount.

And MP's wonder why people are so turned off politicts.

Pay the money back in full,remoove the whip & deselection and he will have got off lightly.

[Victor, NW Kent]

I am upset that there are Conservatives here who wish to brush this matter away with lots of reference to corruption in Labour. That is truly disturbing to a lifelong Conservative.

There is no excuse for Conway's actions I really will protest long and hard if Cameron does not withdraw the whip and call for his constituency party to deselect Conway.

I would quite like it if the police took an interest in the case as it may be that he had obtained money by false pretences. I have no problem if the BNP split on him - they have civil rights as well.

[Malcolm Dunn]

I wasn't trying to be droll Passing Leftie,I was merely observing the difference between boards like Guido's and this one where most Conservatives condemn corruption from Conway and Labour boards that defend or ignore the corruption of people like Peter Hain. Corruption is corruption and there are some in your party that are engulfed in it.

[Pamela Goodwin]

Now we get to see the Tory pots and black kettles.

[Richard]

The silence from the party leadership is deafening and very depressing.

Expelling Conway would be both the right thing to do morally and also politically in showing that Conservatives have higher standards than Labour.

The contrast with how Nigel Hastilow was treated is very revealing.

[jonneyboy]

From all that I have heard there is only course of action the Conway should take and that is resign forthwith.

It might just show the nulab hypocrits how to behave.

Shame that Derek behaved the way he did as i thought he was a decent chap.

[jonneyboy]

From all that I have heard there is only course of action the Conway should take and that is resign forthwith.

It might just show the nulab hypocrits how to behave.

Shame that Derek behaved the way he did as i thought he was a decent chap.

[Richard Allen (Ukip)]

The chances of Conway being punished harshly are remote at best. As a whip for many years he no doubt is aware of various indescretions by other MP's.

[Buckers]

I think its incidents like this that confirm the publics very worst suspicions regarding politicians and specifically I'm afraid, a type of Conservative MP.

Often long-serving, though they've served Queen and country with merit in the past, they clearly have no prospect of any higher calling, and ooze the impression that they remain in politics not to serve the public or improve Britain but to cling on to a form of power & prestige or plainly just to feather the nest.

I know that some of the new incoming PPC's fall short of the mark, but its about time we consider replacing some of these 'bedblockers' (ghastly phrase) with not necessarily young, but passionate and ambitious firebrands who can offer the party some outside skills.

[Steve Green]

I can only go on what I've read in the media. If what I've seen is true, then Conway should have the whip removed (possibly inserted rapidly first). This is however, nothing compared to what our ministers have been up to.

[London Tory]

Can someone explain why this moron still has the party whip?

[Mark Fulford]

David Cameron: the clock is ticking. Derek Conway is undermining trust in Conservatives and has to be thrown out, now. No ifs, no buts.

[Dave]

Conway has behaved dishonestly and disgracefully and must be sacked from the Tory party. It will allow sleazy Labour to claim that all parties are equally bent if Cameron fails to take the action required.

[darran mather]

Conway is a sympton of a much bigger problem within the public sector and represents a diminution of accountability of from both MP's and state employees generally.

Essentially it isn't THEIR money so they couldn't care less HOW much is wasted because the pot always gets bigger. It is in the interests of those directly and indirectly employed by the state to call for continual rises in the amount of money transferred from the private individual to the state on the grounds of spurious arguments like improving the health of the people or the education of the people when in fact more money DOES not equal better education or better health. FACT.

Conway represents just another state employee who couldn't care less about how much the taxpayer is screwed just as long as he profits from his relationship with the state. The public sector trades unions are another manifestation of this attitude. Who cares how much the tax payer has to cough up, just as long as our numbers keep growing and we can siphon off subs from our ever growing list of members.

The fundamental relationship between state and individual as changed and now the individual works for the state as opposed to the other way round. IT stinks.

[Ted]

Mr Conway has been a public servant and elected representative since being elected as a councillor at age 21. He has shamed that record through admitted misuse of the staffing allowance. He should be publicly admonished at the very least by the leadership and preferably have the whip withdrawn.

[Ted]

To continue - Ben Brogan's blog has a warning for David Cameron " I have reason to believe that the revelations about Mr Conway are about to get worse, which will then leave Mr Cameron facing some difficult choices."

Suggest he doesn't dither but takes action now.

[Ian Olive]

I cannot believe that Cameron hasn't done absolutely everything to get rid of this crook, unless...

[Tapestry]

If he was my friend I'd tell him to go, and have the honour of admitting his own fault and being able to accept the inevitable consequences.

There is no way his son could have carried out a part time job in London from Newcastle on Tyne. It's a farce trying to pretend otherwise.

Conway said in his apology to the House that no judgment of him from anyone else could be as harsh as he is of himself...for what he calls his 'administrative errors'.

In that case, he should unquestionably resign. Otherwise that claim is also laughable.

His position is morally no better than Peter Hain's. Apart from the evidence possibly not being strong enough to obtain a conviction in a court of law, there is little doubt that he has committed a crime.

He has fabricated a story, using falsehood to obtain a pecuniary advantage by deception - s.11 Theft Act 1967.

The problem is, Iain, that Cameron is also standing by his friends, and it stinks. David Davies would no doubt be making special pleading for Conway, for one.

If the Conservatives want to be taken seriously as a party with a mission to stop the corruption of British society, as they claim, the fight against corruption has to start right at the top. Or they can forget it.

Conway has to go.

.

[Lancashire CFer]

The thing we will find is the majority of the country couldn't care less if Mr. Conway was breaking any rules, or Mr. Hain or Mr. Johnson for that matter. They just want to make sure they can wake up every morning in a safe country with a strong international standing a good economy...

Its because of things like this people have lost faith in politics.

[Richard Price]

Make an example of him Dave - give him the royal boot.

[Francis Mooney]

Muppet. It's hard to believe how immoral this is. Furthermore, his apology was insincere and wholly inadequate. He does not appreciate the gravity of what he has done. He should resign from Parliament and be investigated for fraud.

[Helen Simmons]

This is just the tip of the iceberg. Every single MP should be made to produce receipts for every expense claim and should not be allowed to employ family members. They should also have subsistence only for nights away from home like other taxpayers - not tax free second mortgages.

[Traditional Tory]

Agreed. These overweening subjects should be placed on exactly the same footing as the rest of us.

I see Cameron and his spin-doctors are working overtime to supplant the Conway story with 'good news' waffle, but they are pitting flatulence against thunder.

This scandal will run and run, and it will run far beyond the case of our now-doomed friend Derek, whom some of us remember - without affection - from his days as a YC National Vice-Chairman.

I reckon that some of our esteemed legislators aren't getting much sleep this week. Let's hope for Cameron's sake that most of them hail from the other side of the House.

[Will]

I receive a copy of a Labour leaflet today that is currently being distributed in the key swing marginal constituency of Bedford's Labour MP - that well known skinny latte drinker Patrick Hall.

Out of what must be 1500 + words, guess how many times Gordon - better not mention his name - Brown is referred too?

Is Patrick Hall embarrassed by Gordon Brown? or is he ashamed of Gordon Brown? either way my mom got scared
She said 'You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel Air'

I begged and pleaded with her day after day
But she packed my suite case and send me on my way
She gave me a kiss and then she gave me my ticket.
I put my walkman on and said, 'I might as well kick it'.

First class, yo this is bad
Drinking orange juice out of a champagne glass.
Is this what the people of Bel-Air Living like?
Hmmmmm this might be alright.

But wait I hear there're prissy, wine all that
Is Bel-Air the type of place they send this cool cat?
I don't think sow
I'll see when I get there
I hope they're prepared for the prince of Bel-Air

Well, the plane landed and when I came out
There was a dude who looked like a cop standing there with my name out
I ain't trying to get arrested
I just got here
I sprang with the quickness like lightening, disappeared

I whistled for a cab and when it came near
The license plate said fresh and it had dice in the mirror
If anything I can say this cab is rare
But I thought 'Now forget it' - 'Yo homes to Bel Air'

I pulled up to the house about 7 or 8
And I yelled to the cabbie 'Yo homes smell ya later'
I looked at my kingdom
I was finally there
To sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel Air