Two Tory MEPs in expenses fraud.

[frogstamper]

The leader of the Conservative MEPs in Brussels, Giles Chichester, has quit as party leader after it came to light he had channeled upwards of £445,000 into a family company, which he is a paid director of, since 1996.

Also the day after saw Den Dover [real name, seriously] sacked by acting leader Phillip Bushill-Matthews, from his post as chief whip over irregularities in regards to payments to his wife and daughter.

David Cameron is now sending his head honcho, Hugh Thomas, out to Brussels to "reinforce the clear message I have sent on the issue of expenses".

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/200...d-45dbed5.html

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...318204,00.html

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by frogstamper

The leader of the Conservative MEPs in Brussels, Giles Chichester, has quit as party leader after it came to light he had channeled upwards of £445,000 into a family company, which he is a paid director of, since 1996.

Also the day after saw Den Dover [real name, seriously] sacked by acting leader Phillip Bushill-Matthews, from his post as chief whip over irregularities in regards to payments to his wife and daughter.

David Cameron is now sending his head honcho, Hugh Thomas, out to Brussels to "reinforce the clear message I have sent on the issue of expenses".

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/200...d-45dbed5.html

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...318204,00.html

Wonder why the same was not done to Blair for paying his TV tax with expenses.

Anyone and i mean anyone that fiddles there expenses should be sacked

[budwieser]

Originally Posted by frogstamper

The leader of the Conservative MEPs in Brussels, Giles Chichester, has quit as party leader after it came to light he had channeled upwards of £445,000 into a family company, which he is a paid director of, since 1996.

Also the day after saw Den Dover [real name, seriously] sacked by acting leader Phillip Bushill-Matthews, from his post as chief whip over irregularities in regards to payments to his wife and daughter.

David Cameron is now sending his head honcho, Hugh Thomas, out to Brussels to "reinforce the clear message I have sent on the issue of expenses".

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/skynews/200...d-45dbed5.html

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/...318204,00.html

Surely he can be charged with fraud and at least mis appropriation of funds?

[slowcoach]

No one wants to start a witch hunt in case it comes round to them.
If everyone keeps their heads down for a while the furore will pass, then it will be back to business as usual.

[budwieser]

Originally Posted by slowcoach

No one wants to start a witch hunt in case it comes round to them.
If everyone keeps their heads down for a while the furore will pass, then it will be back to business as usual.

I`m not asking for a witch hunt, just a little bit of if you do wrong, pay the price and get whats coming to you justice, thats all. Just because he`s an MEP does`nt mean he`s above the law.
I can see where you`re coming from though, old school ties and all that.

[Osem]

From what I can understand 'fiddling' is almost part and parcel of life in the European Parliament and very few countries actually seem to consider it anything to get worked up about....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ont-exist.html

http://www.theparliament.com/latestn...penses-fiddle/

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle3406038.ece

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by Osem

From what I can understand 'fiddling' is almost part and parcel of life in the European Parliament and very few countries actually seem to consider it anything to get worked up about....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ont-exist.html

http://www.theparliament.com/latestn...penses-fiddle/

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle3406038.ece

As you say Osem the countries don't seem over bothered, but I bet the people of those countries would be a different matter, after all its their money thats funding this gravy train.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by budwieser

Surely he can be charged with fraud and at least mis appropriation of funds?

I have a horrible feeling that they haven't done anything illegal, obviously though they had to be made to resign to avoid a scandle, incidentally Chichester was appointed to make sure no one was fiddling their expences. Just goes to show how awash with cash that place is, 1.2 million between them and nobody noticed or checked. Weren't they asked to make their expences know to the public, like we have now in parliment only to be told 'er no I don't think we want to do that'

[Osem]

Apparently NASA are reporting the discovery of an unspecified number of new black holes - apparently they're located in/around the finance ministry of the European Parliament.

I'd say that almost every one of them are corrupt. They're too busy thinking about their own pockets. Sack the lot of'em and start afresh.

Or accept that the EU is un-reformable because those running it and benefiting from it have no interest in reform and just leave?