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SHAMED MINISTER 'QUITS' OVER LUDICROUS EXPENSES...BUT WHO WILL GO NEXT?

Friday May 15 2009 byAndy Wells for express.co.uk

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JUSTICE Minister Shahid Malik has stepped down from his role, pending an investigation into his expenses claims, which amount to more than any other MP.

Despite initially declaring that he had "nothing to apologise for", the Labour MP has left his post after being summoned to a meeting with Gordon Brown.

Mr Brown's spokesman said: “There have been accusations made in the past 24 hours against Shahid Malik, in particular that he received preferential rent on his main residence.

“Because that allegation would represent a potential financial benefit and that potential and alleged financial benefit was not declared as part of his ministerial declaration, this could represent a breach of the ministerial code.

“In line with the procedures of the ministerial code, the matter has been referred to the independent adviser on ministers’ interests."

Malik appeared on television this morning arrogantly defending the claims he made - which included £2,600 for a home cinema system, £730 for a massage chair and £65 for a court summons for the non-payment of council tax.

Margaret Beckett on Question Time

At the same time, it is claimed that the rent on his main home in his Dewsbury constituency was less than £100 a week - allegedly below the market rate.

In total, his claims amounted to £66,827 over three years - more than any other MP.

Malik's claims have now been passed on to an independent adviser to assess.

The spokesman added: “Pending the outcome of that investigation, Shahid Malik will be stepping down as a minister. He is not being replaced.”

Mr Brown’s spokesman stressed the expectation would be that Mr Malik would return to office if he was cleared and said no replacement was being appointed in the meantime.

But in the face of these extraordinary claims, the Justice Minister displayed no signs of embarrassment, saying: “I have absolutely nothing to apologise for. I have done nothing wrong.

“I have not been at the periphery of the rules. I haven’t abused the rules, I have been absolutely at the core of the rules.”

The latest revelations come on the back of an astonishing television attack on MPs expenses on BBC's Question Time.

Housing Minister Margaret Beckett was heckled and shouted at by members of the audience as she adamantly declared she would not be paying back the £72,000 second homes allowance that she has claimed.

To boos and shouts of "scandal", Mrs Beckett said: "If you live in a grace-and-favour residence, you have three sets of housing costs, one of which you pay out of your own salary like anybody else.”

She said that the public "can't understand" why MPs need the special allowance, and that they were not given a fair chance to explain.

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Former Labour minister Elliot Morley was suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party yesterday after it was alleged that he continued to claim for a mortgage that did not exist.

Andrew Mackay, a close aide to David Cameron, resigned after he admitted he and his wife - Tory MP Julie Kirkbride - claimed allowances on both their homes.

One opinion poll today showed Labour had slumped to its lowest rating of 22 per cent, handing the Conservatives a landslide victory if translated into votes at the next general election.

CORRUPT LIAR

19.05.09, 6:26am

Malik is an outright corrupt liar. Hopefully the voters of Dewsbury will remember this at the next election. As for Beckett, yet another bungling, incompetent out of her depth NuLiarBore female

• Posted by: jnich • Report Comment

MADE ME LAUGH

16.05.09, 8:59pm

WALTZING MATILDA 2009

15.05.09, 11:45pm

Once a jolly MP camped in his second home
Under the shade of his plasma TV
And he sang as he watched and waited for his expenses
You'll come a claiming Jacqui with me

Claiming Jacqui, Claiming Jacqui
You'll come a claiming Jacqui with me
And he sang as he watched and waited for his expenses
You'll come a claiming Jacqui with me.

Down came an MP to claim more expenses
Up jumped the PM and grabbed him with glee.
And he sang as he shoved the money in his tucker bag
You'll come a claiming Jacqui with me

With apologies to Banjo Patterson

• Posted by: Mikex •

EXCELLENT!!!,and a sure clear winner for eurovision,full points from me.!!! i,m judging on content meaning and entertainment!,

Shahid should listen to the australian pm Rudd on imigration then he will,get it, got, it good
upstart,keep his faith to himself,he needs it more than i do..

• Posted by: imonlyobeyingordersitswithintherulesandweneedapayr • Report Comment

WALTZING MATILDA 2009

15.05.09, 11:45pm

Once a jolly MP camped in his second home
Under the shade of his plasma TV
And he sang as he watched and waited for his expenses
You'll come a claiming Jacqui with me

Claiming Jacqui, Claiming Jacqui
You'll come a claiming Jacqui with me
And he sang as he watched and waited for his expenses
You'll come a claiming Jacqui with me.

Down came an MP to claim more expenses
Up jumped the PM and grabbed him with glee.
And he sang as he shoved the money in his tucker bag
You'll come a claiming Jacqui with me

With apologies to Banjo Patterson

• Posted by: Mikex • Report Comment

P.S. PRISON TERMS????

15.05.09, 11:13pm

I would say prison terms for the lot of them starting from the top echelon but this would mean they would still be living off of us, the British people.

They should all be made to do years of community service without any pay or compensation whatsoever.

----
They're all disgusting, sleazy, humongous pigs at the trough and those of the LIE-bour party are the worst offenders, particularly Michael Martin, the Speaker of the House of Commons! Michael Martin, you certainly are the commonest of the Commons! Both he and his wife have had their long snouts deep in the trough for a very long time.

These politicians did NOT go into politics to serve and help the public but to help and serve themselves. The hypocrisy is rampant! These same politicians who prevent any of the British public / citizens / taxpayers from getting anything we're NOT entitled to certainly think they are entitled to help themselves to the British public's / citizens' / taxpayers' money.

Hopefully, this situation which they themselves created will bring down both houses of Parliament.

Everything needs to be scrapped and we need to start over.

Guy Fawkes may have the last laugh after all and no one outside of Parliament caused this. Both houses are to blame NOT just the House of Commons. Both houses are common as muck and they're all whores.

• Posted by: EnglishMyst • Report Comment

99% OF MPS ARE GIVING THE REST A BAD NAME.

15.05.09, 11:07pm

Q. What do you call a 100 MPs at the bottom of the river Thames
Ans. A good start.

• Posted by: Mikex • Report Comment

COMMONS SCANDAL MP CAUGHT LIVING OFF HIS OWN SALARY

15.05.09, 11:01pm

An MP whose name will not be released has been caught living from his own salary and paying normal taxes.
Gordon Brown and David Cameron agreed that the name and party of this member will not be disclosed.
This has sent shockwaves through the house and many MPs are considering a multi party censure motion against the MP involved.
As one MP said "We cannot permot honesty in the Parliament. The action of this one MP threatens the Westminster system.
Romours that this rogue MP has threatened to answer questions that he is asked instead of answering his own questions have been denied. A spokesman said I can confirm he has threatened to act on behalf of his electorates best interests.
The MP involved has recognised that he isn't a well man and is undergoing a reorientation course starting with basic items such as how to claim for a second home while living at your main residence. I can't tell you too much about it but and example is Sink plugs and light bulbs a useful source of income and moat clearing for dummies a guide for the rest of us.
We have every confidence he will recover in time for the election

• Posted by: Mikex • Report Comment