Cabinet Minister James Purnell charges the taxpayer up to £400 a month for his household groceries. The Work and Pensions Secretary, who is in charge of the Government’s crackdown on benefits cheats, submits the claims for food as part of his MP’s controversial second homes allowance. Mr Purnell is not required to provide receipts to support his claims for groceries, which have cost taxpayers £9,094 in the past five years.The tax-free perk is worth almost £19,000 to Mr Purnell, who earns £142,000 a year. At one point the 39-year-old bachelor tried to increase his monthly claim to £475 but, even under the lax rules of MPs’ expenses, was told this was too much. A spokesman for Mr Purnell, who has been tipped as a future Labour leader, said last night: “All claims made by James are within Commons guidelines and have been approved by the Parliamentary authorities – nor is there any allegation that they weren’t. “James fully supports urgent reform of the House’s allowance system and hopes the Kelly review comes forward with proposals as a matter of urgency.” Details of Mr Purnell’s claims come amid mounting public anger about MPs’ expenses, sparked by Sunday Express revelations last month that the Home Secretary Jacqui Smith claimed expenses for everything from adult films to bath plugs. Documents seen by the Sunday Express show that Mr Purnell claims in full for his utility and council tax bills and has also claimed thousands of pounds for furnishing and cleaning his London home. His £1,541 bill for furniture included £220 for a chair and £153.75 on bedding. The MP, who has a reputation as one of Westminster’s snappiest dressers, also claimed £220 for a mirror. Mr Purnell submitted claims totalling £618 for kitchenware, £543 for electrical goods, including two televisions and £134.70 for lights for his flat. Until last year MPs were not required to produce receipts for items costing less than £250. Mr Purnell claims more than £20,000 a year in second homes allowances yet in the past five years he has submitted only one receipt, a £34.50 bill for a bouquet of flowers. Since 2001, when he was elected as Labour MP for Stalybridge and Hyde in Greater Manchester, he has claimed more than £145,000 in expenses for running his second home, a rented flat in fashionable Islington. Claims for groceries are among the most contentious made by MPs. Payments are made under the second homes allowance which is designed to help MPs meet the cost of running a home in London. But critics question why MPs should be allowed to claim for food which they would have to buy even if they had only one home. The practice came to light during a tribunal hearing last year when Parliament tried to block Freedom of Information requests. Other MPs known to have claimed for their groceries include the former Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, Housing Minister Margaret Beckett and the Shadow Chancellor George Osborne. Mr Purnell’s expenses claims are likely to go down particularly badly with those made unemployed during the recession. As the minister in charge of benefits he oversees a system which pays out only £50.95 a week to jobless youngsters – half what he claims for his groceries. Although Mr Purnell’s claim for food has varied over the last five years he has often claimed the maximum £400 a month. None of the claims are supported by receipts, a practice which was allowed until April last year, but other documents suggest Mr Purnell is a customer of the upmarket food retailer Waitrose. Mr Purnell is a Labour high-flier, tipped by some as a future party leader. He enjoyed a meteoric rise through the Government’s ranks after serving as a special adviser to Tony Blair.His achievements include introducing the controversial legislation which introduced 24-hour drinking. Mr Purnell’s welfare reforms, which include forcing people on Incapacity Benefit to look for work, angered many on the left. Last month Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, described him as the worst social security minister ever. Last year he was forced to apologise after leaving confidential documents about a constituency case on a train. He faced calls to quit in September 2007 when he allowed his picture to be superimposed onto a photograph of the opening of a local hospital after he failed to turn up on time. Mr Purnell insisted he had not realised the photograph, which was published by local newspapers, would be altered to include him. Sunday Express
33 comments:
James Purnell!!!!!
hypocrite.
The definition of the Greek words hypocrite or hypocrisy has evolved over time, and now has a completely different meaning. Initially a hypocrite was someone who played a part, acted a part, or dissembled. Hypocrisy was the tool of actors, rhetoricians, and debaters in Ancient Greece. Specifically from rhetoric and debate, we can assign sides of an argument that a person must then take to his/her fullest capacity. We understand the side we take may not represent our true point of view; instead it’s merely a position in an argument that helps us to better understand the sides of an issue.
In the modern sense, being a hypocrite is a disagreeable thing, and there are plenty of idioms that express when someone is acting in this manner. “The pot calling the kettle black,” is a classic one and “People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” is equally popular. Both represent the modern take on hypocrites in general. The hypocrite is someone who criticizes something that he also does. Alternately, someone who acts in manner that he specifically does not condone is acting in a hypocritical way.
Another copy and paste job.
Greedy parasites politicians.
Thats why people need to wake up and fight the power. What ever you can do, do it!
Lying, Thieving, Money Grabbing Pigs: Labour’s Geoff Hoon and Tory’s Greg Barker Swindle Tens of Thousands from Taxpayers in Housing Scam
The public have been swindled out of tens of thousands of pounds in “allowances” for a house lived in by homosexual Tory Shadow Minister Greg Barker’s estranged wife, and for a constituency office which Labour Cabinet Minister Geoff Hoon rented out from his wife using her maiden name on the invoices.
The shocking revelations follow hard on the heels of what seems to be an endless list of immoral money grabs by the criminals in Westminster who have “legally” stolen millions from the taxpayers, as detailed on this website last week.
What a cunning stunt. Or something like that.
Purnell thinks looking into MP's expenses is a matter of urgency. This means, now the full extent of their greed and thieving has been exposed he's positioning himself to the best possible advantage. Just like when he changed from Blairite to Brownite. What a piece of slime.
It's not the fact that the Tory is homosexual, he's just a bastard cheat.
'You have been sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!'
Oliver Cromwell; addressing the Rump Parliament. April 1653.
The Conservatives will no doubt win the next general election, but nothing will change in this country. The immigration flood gates are open.
Seen James on TV tonight gave a good account of himself.
And thank heaven for that. Remember this - diversity = strength.
Just seen North West Tonight which was filmed inside Stalybridge Labour Club. Saw ex Tory Suzanne Shepherd doign a quote. LOL.
Is Suzanne 'give me another drink' Shepherd now in the Labour party? I too saw her on NW tonight.
Suzanne was stabbed in the back by the Tories just because she spoke her mind,she is a regular in the club and helps out now on the canvas we are doing.
There will be no 'diversity' if everyone is coffee-coloured. Or didn't you think of that.
F**k diversity and f**k multiculturalism. I want my country back.
Taxpayers Are Forking Out For Pondlife MPs' Food too!
Greedy MPs have secretly slapped a five per cent limit on price rises in the taxpayer-subsidised bars, restaurants and cafeterias of Westminster, it emerged last night.
As a result, they will escape the crippling price hikes of up to 18 per cent faced by the public in supermarkets and other stores across the country.
Taxpayers will be forced to pay an extra £5million a year to bankroll the exclusive food and drink.
It means hundreds of peers and MPs can carry on guzzling lavish food and alcohol at a fraction of the cost outside Westminster.
Last night, the latest grasping move by the political elite ignited more fury about the excesses of the Westminster gravy train.
MPs already enjoy heavily subsidised food and drink prices – a cup of tea costs 30p, a breakfast about £2.10 and a pint of lager is about £1 cheaper than in nearby pubs.
They are also able to claim up to £400 a month for groceries
Recession-hit families struggling with rampant food price inflation are bound to be appalled at having to subsidise the dining and drinking of MPs.
Critics seized on the move – by a Commons committee of MPs – as latest evidence of a shameless “snouts in the trough” culture throughout the political establishment.
It follows anger at shocking revelations about expenses abuses and other sleaze at the House of Commons.
Susie Squire, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance campaign group, said: “It’s unbelievable that after the handsome salary and perks MPs receive that they are trying to squeeze even more money out of taxpayers.
“The rest of the country is having to pay more to put their own food on the table. Yet again, this shows that too many MPs are unconcerned as to the realities facing their constituents.”
The decision also outraged campaigners against swingeing tax rises on alcohol imposed by Chancellor Alistair Darling.
Mark Hastings, spokesman for the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “Our customers will be paying more in tax on their own drink to subsidise MPs paying less for their drink in Westminster.”
A spokesman for the Drinkers Alliance said: “The hypocrisy of our politicians is breathtaking. It’s not surprising outrage about their behaviour grows daily.
Taxpayers Are Forking Out For Pondlife MPs' Food too!
Greedy MPs have secretly slapped a five per cent limit on price rises in the taxpayer-subsidised bars, restaurants and cafeterias of Westminster, it emerged last night.
As a result, they will escape the crippling price hikes of up to 18 per cent faced by the public in supermarkets and other stores across the country.
Taxpayers will be forced to pay an extra £5million a year to bankroll the exclusive food and drink.
It means hundreds of peers and MPs can carry on guzzling lavish food and alcohol at a fraction of the cost outside Westminster.
Last night, the latest grasping move by the political elite ignited more fury about the excesses of the Westminster gravy train.
MPs already enjoy heavily subsidised food and drink prices – a cup of tea costs 30p, a breakfast about £2.10 and a pint of lager is about £1 cheaper than in nearby pubs.
They are also able to claim up to £400 a month for groceries
Recession-hit families struggling with rampant food price inflation are bound to be appalled at having to subsidise the dining and drinking of MPs.
Critics seized on the move – by a Commons committee of MPs – as latest evidence of a shameless “snouts in the trough” culture throughout the political establishment.
It follows anger at shocking revelations about expenses abuses and other sleaze at the House of Commons.
Susie Squire, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance campaign group, said: “It’s unbelievable that after the handsome salary and perks MPs receive that they are trying to squeeze even more money out of taxpayers.
“The rest of the country is having to pay more to put their own food on the table. Yet again, this shows that too many MPs are unconcerned as to the realities facing their constituents.”
The decision also outraged campaigners against swingeing tax rises on alcohol imposed by Chancellor Alistair Darling
The truth is they've spent up. Even that one-eyed unelected Celtic prick has realized. This Government is utterly infested with sleaze, corruption and incompetence. Look at the latest batch of Muslim would be terrorists; they came in on bogus, unchecked student visas and went straight into security jobs-some at airports!- there were no checks on entry and no follow up afterwards. This level of incompetence is common knowledge in large parts of the third world, they also know our Government is a bleeding heart soft touch which is why Britain is the destination of choice.
The full solution will be difficult and complicated to implement but step one is absolutely clear; get rid of this Labour Government that is now a direct threat to our national security, identity and survival.
British pensioners are forced to make do with the “worst” payments in all of Europe - while Euro MPs from all the parties, including the fake UKIP party which claims to be opposed to the EU - draw untold millions in pension fund schemes funded by the taxpayers.
In the latest scam to emerge from Brussels, members of the European Parliament have been revealed to have their fingers deep into the pockets of taxpayers through pension plan bailout schemes and other expense fiddles.
European Parliament MEPs have a national pension which is the same as for Westminster MPs. The MEPs can choose to join this second pension or not, which costs the taxpayer a cool £12 million per year. In addition, they have kept the identities of the 478 people who get the publicly funded second pension contributions a closely guarded secret.
'Weeds and nettles, briars and thorns, have thriven under your shadow, dissettlement and division, discontentment and dissatisfaction, together with real dangers to the whole.'
Cromwell's speech dissolving the
1st protectoral parliament.
A clue about this site!!
If it says it in the News of the World it must be true. After all a Murdoch owned quality newspaper like the NOTW would never lie or make it up.
Post a Comment