Nadine Dorries, Tory MP, has admitted she claimed her constituency home as her “Second home” for the purposes of claiming vast expenses. So where was her first home? In the Cotswolds, apparently.
Astonishingly, Nadine admits deliberately concealing from her constituents that she did not live either in her constituency or near Parliament.
Nadine Dorries says:
I never wanted my constituents to think that I had another prime responsibility other than Bedfordshire and Parliament; maybe I should have been more open.
http://blog.dorries.org/Blogs/2009/May/16#16
How her constituents will react to being deliberately duped is an interesting question.
So what Nadine is doing is just the same as Margaret Moran is doing. Nadine is basing her claims on having two residences, one of which is neither in the constituency, nor in London. In each case, which they choose to claim on is based on which will bring in more money.
Now to Iain Dale. I already pointed out that in the case of flipping by cheap far right propagandist Michael Gove MP, Dale and other Tory bloggers suddenly had different standards to when they were dealing with identical troughing by New Labour.
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2009/05/the_breathtakin.html#comments
Iain Dale waxed furious over the “Shamelessness” of Margaret Moran. He fumed that her second home was
100 miles from her constituency and nowhere near Westminster.
Now then, Nadine Dorries’ first home is
100 miles from her constituency and nowhere near Westminster.
thus allowing her to put in huge claims on her constituency home.
So presumably Iain Dale regards Nadine Dorries as shameless, yes?
No. Because she is a Tory, and a mate of his.
I don’t condemn Nadine because unlike you I know the full details of her living arrangements and they fully comply with the rules, as she will be making clear in a further post.
https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=6214838&postID=2915940623081992628
(11.57 pm at 15 May on this comments stream).
Sickening, isn’t it? What a mighty blogging champion Iain Dale is! When it comes to New Labour, the tired formula of “Within the rules” is not good eonugh. But for his Tory friends, it is a complete exculpation.
Come on Iain, please give us a full explanation of exactly why it is fine for Nadine to do her job from the Cotswolds, 100 miles from both London and her constituency, while the taxpayer funds her large, plush constituency home.
You know, I obviously got it very wrong. I should have been Ambassador in Tashkent from a main Residence in Cannes. That would have been much more comfortable.
Tory blogs had become very popular as showing opposition to a rightly very unpopular governemt. But what the stupid, stupid, stupid thousand times hypocrite Dale shows is that the Tories are just the same kind of tribal predators as New Labour, simply itching for their turn to get their snouts in the trough.
Dale’s credibility as a blogger has been entirely compromised by his support for the Nadine Dorries scam. Actually, he’s only a Tory version of Michael White, with a thin veneer of good nature stretched over the hard party man.
Another Tory blogger, “Dizzy Thinks”, wrote a piece entitled “The Breathtaking Idiocy of Craig Murray”. Note that typically of a Tory, he knows so little of the Celtic nations that he can’t actually spell “Craig”.
http://dizzythinks.net/2009/05/breathtaking-idiocy-of-criag-murray.html
He also was attempting to defend the troughing of Tory MPs from my attack, and he decided the best way to do this was to attack me for being, as far as I can make out from his rant, a trendy environmentalist. He included this remarkable passage on his own virtues:
“I don’t eat organic food, nor drive a Prius. I have a 4×4 and love battery farmed eggs because they’re cheap.”
Which rather makes my point about Tory bloggers. Needled into showing their true colours.
There you have it officially from Dizzy. If you support the squandering of hydrocarbons as fast as possible, and keeping hens in 8inch by 8inch cages, then you probably should indeed vote Tory. If not, don’t vote Tory becuase you will be putting people like Dale and Dizzy in power.
Your post appears to be tribalist, attacking Tories for being Tories.
You seem surprised that someone might refuse to attack their friends in print or online. Most of us would be rather disappointed in our friends if they abandoned us, no matter what mistakes we had made.
You have neglected to address the point of Dizzy’s post – an error of logic on your part.
If I were financially corrupt, I would by no means expect my friends to defend me. But then, I’m not a Tory.
If Iain had been quiet on both Moran and Dorries, your point would be fair. But to attack one and defend the other is undeniably hypocrisy, even if you view the Tories sticking together bit as honourable.
Whcih tribe am I from?
There should be a rule that nobody who is not already living in a constituency should be eligible to stand there as a candidate.
Goodbye to carpet-bagging. Simple.
You haven’t provided any evidence of Dale ‘defending’ Dorries, merely of his refusal to attack her.
They are personal friends, not mere colleagues in the Tory Party.
Expecting a blogger to attack EVERYONE that behaves in the same way that the blogger has found objectionable in one individual is an unreasonable expectation. The point of blogging is to be able to express opinions on what one wishes to express an opinion on.
Oh, dear God, Criag (sic), you’re pathetic.
Someone is pathetic for exposing double standards?
David,
No, of course Iain does not have to attack to attack
“EVERYONE that behaves in the same way that the blogger has found objectionable in one individual”
He can attack some MPs for doing it, and not attack others because they are his “personal friends”.
I have no wish to impinge on Iain’s freedom of speech. He has every right to be a stinking hypocrite if he wishes to. Just as I have every right to point out that he is a stinking hypocrite.
I fear you are allowing your dislike of Mr Dale to cloud your judgement.
It is not hypocritical to attack someone’s behaviour and to refrain from attacking someone else for similar behaviour. It may be inconsistent. It is not hypocritical. It would be hypocritical if Mr Dale himself behaved in the manner that he attacks Moran for doing. Since he is not an MP, he cannot behave in that way.
David,
Iain plainly defends Dorries. He says her behaviour is “Within the rules” in the same posting he says she has dome “Nothing dishonourable”. To attack one person and defend another, over the same behaviour, is hypocritical.
So cosy and such a scintillating social life.
On a lighter note, I’m off to the Classical Brits tonight. I am taking Iain Dale with me. I’m not sure what Iain thinks of classical music. When chatting to him just now you would have thought he was being taken to the dentist!
(From her blog)
He doesn’t defend her. Stating the behaviour is ‘within the rules’ is merely reporting facts. He has avoided condoning her behaviour, just as he has refused to condemn it.
Hypocrisy is the failure to practice what one preaches, not a failure to preach consistently.
you forgot to say he is English
Mary,
I am trying to keep comments vaguely on topic. If you want to repost without the long poem about Gaza, you’re very welcome. I will try to blog some Palestine thoughts soon and then you can give us the poem.
Craig, your language (‘stinking… hypocrite’) is your own, but your point is well made.
Someone who takes it upon themselves to condemn someone in public without the full facts, but reserves the right to hold someone else guiltless, because they are privy to more of the facts, and does so in public is, quite literally, a hypocrite. They are saying one thing and doing another.
Speaking personally, I think that everyone who is accused should have the right to make their case. But, if they recognise they have no case, they should resign from the House right away, not merely step down from a particular responsibility.
Craig, your language (‘stinking… hypocrite’) is your own, but your point is well made.
Someone who takes it upon themselves to condemn someone in public without the full facts, but reserves the right to hold someone else guiltless, because they are privy to more of the facts, and does so in public is, quite literally, a hypocrite. They are saying one thing and doing another.
Speaking personally, I think that everyone who is accused should have the right to make their case. But, if they recognise they have no case, they should resign from the House right away, not merely step down from a particular responsibility.
Hypocrite? Aye.
Craig Murray, a sad, pathetic, bitter and twisted wee Schortlander.
Have pity on the stinking Scotch commie.
Craig, can I respectfully suggest that you do not blog on the utterances of other bloggers. It just leads to a flame war which is pretty boring as a spectator sport. I get the clear impression that most of the readers of your blog know without prompting exactly where to file the Tory bloggers. They are having their day in the sun, because most people agree with them this is the most awful goverment in a century or more. I even agree with Guido that Brown is bonkers.
Their fires will go out when the Tories take power and the carousel continues to turn to the same old tune. They will find themselves lonely voices then, and blogs like Guido’s, fuelled by leaks, will find their oxygen tube stepped on when the revelations are about Tory misdeeds – because they won’t print that, will they?
Are there credible alternatives to the established political parties ?
This expenses scandal is just one more example of the problems of a “democracy” that enjoys voter apathy. Apathy induced by the fact that the voter has no real choice in candidates.
Makes me wonder whether we shouldn’t just ditch the whole democracy fad and have the Queen work for her keep instead. Interesting that the crown is the place to resort to when politicians lose credibility to this point. Perhaps the public need the right to bring a vote of no confidence mid term instead.
I agree with Vronsky’s sentiments – come on Craig, let’s not get sucked into ‘my blog is more honourable than yours’ discussions; it’s spectacularly boring and you end up getting sucked into neverending petty tit-for-tat insult trading and everyone trying to get the last word. We know the tory bloggers are a self-serving shower who are desperate for their party to return to power after such a long time on the opposition bench. We’ll just have to see what the next General Election brings. In the meantime, let’s get back to the proper business of your blogging at which you are so good.
Vronsky and kc,
Thanks, important points.
I think blogging is an important new medium. I think it gets a good response for the public. I think there is a danger the public can be taken in by Tory bloggers, who seem “alternative” and are hiding the fact they want to keep the trough the same, and change the snouts.
So I think exposing the Tory bloggers is something worth doing.
Craig
Agreed, so long as it’s not being driven by personal animus…
I am struggling.
She has a private home to which she goes in parliament time. It is close enough to commute from. If she can not commute she pays her own hotel.
She also has a constituency home which she rents. She does not profit from it.
Where exactly is her wrong doing?
This is just silly.
I wouldn’t take any notice of Dizzy, Craig, he’s a troll without an original thought in his head, not to mention a nice line in making phone calls to ex-directory numbers and then screaming down it at the person.
Posted by: Scottish Doctor at May 16, 2009 6:46 PM
Herr Doktor it is not so difficult;
A- She is attending parliament (Lord knows why, but we will take this to be the manifestation of some sort of discharge of duty), in which case she then has to retire to her flat/pad/etc. In London for reasons of recuperation, so that she can return to parliament, to Carry On Membering some more.
B- She is attending her constituency office (where an awful lot of free-loading characters hang around and get paid as aids, etc.) supposedly to help solve the problems of those whom have voted him/her in. Hence she needs a flat/pad/country-house/etc. to recuperate and get back to the said office to solve more of the local problems, or add to these, depending on his/her moods.
Therefore the mutually exclusive cases of; either “A”, or “B”, does not leave room for a case “C”, that is a third place to be used for any trumped up reasons that can be conjured up in the way aiding him/her to do his/her “job” as an MP.
Finally, fact that she has claimed for A, Then B, and went on to claim for C too, even by the standards of the sty in the Westminster is somewhat fraudulent. Alas, every two bit MP, seems to have forgotten he/she is no more than a glorified social worker (tasked with far less reports to write) with privileges that include the capacity of choosing a prime minister, with a view to get on with serious criminalization of the we the people, for these verily believe we the people need to be spared from ourselves! This fact is clearly reflected in no less than fifteen thousand laws that have been passed for the duration of the last decade, concomitant with deregulation (buzzword for making it free for all, and no strings, such as the “expenses rules” that these MPs keep referring to, to absolve the “upper” class from any and all crimes, inclusive of; fraud, bilking, insider dealing, bribes, etc.) for the benefit of encouraging enterprise, and economic growth!
Has your confusion been allayed, now?
PS what about Gerald Kaufman and his £9000 TV set, did he buy the whole damn factory at that price, or does his TV come with its own broadcasting studios?
PPS If some Tory hacks think they can carry on in the foot steps of their propaganda machines, in the cyber space, these are set for a shocking disappointment, in the cyber space the rules are no longer written by the few, but by the masses.
I’ve been reading your blog for a while now. You are a nasty little peep, with a huge chip [or is that a large fried mars bar?] on both shoulders.
Your posts are by no means balanced [sometimes whinging, for example your blubbing about something you wanted publishing, but no one would touch it, a while back], so it is difficult therefore to agree with yet another rabid post, accusing someone else of something you are guilty of by the barrel load.
I think most people – especially those who hold all politicians in equal contempt – will recognise that you are simply being vindictive because you are so obviously a Scottish Labour supporter, who is sour because another Scottish Labour supporter didn’t get away with slagging off an English woman. This is aside from her own corruption, which is clear to us all. Your depths do not rise above the gutter, though. Totally hypocritical and totally Labour brainwashed.
The slavish voter is the one who threatens democracy, because they not only turn a blind eye to the corruption and ineptitude of their own Party, they excuse it – that’s you.
You are fast becoming the most rabid blogger on the internet.
You know you’re doing something right when you get so many folks pissed off. Keep up the good work.
change the record, why don’t you?
has just mentioned your recent book, which I’ve just started to read in full. You ask who owned Sandline and why Penfold was in cahoots with Spicer.
Wouldn’t the most logical answer be that within government there is a body with access to taxpayers’ money possibly excise/VAT duty which secretly funds such operations, arms for resources and so on.
And all because I linked to a post by Charles Crawford which you didn’t like.
I thought you were bigger than this. But clearly not.
Why do you always have to be so personal. “Stinking hypocrite”. No reasoning. Just insults.
I used to really think you were a person worth reading and engaging with. I no longer do.
How very sad you have reduced your blog to this level.
Craig,
We have just been away for a week on a boat. We even asked a guy who calls himself a Tory – and his lovely Girlfriend Maddie to come with us for a couple of days.
Maddie who comes from Accrington and is a Nurse – would say to all your fellow Diplomats who run their own blogs – which I have read – and your fellow politicians who also run their own blogs and try and score points
That not only do they not fucking “Get It” – but that they also don’t get it because they are a part of the same corrupt system
One of these tossers I think he was the ambassador for Belgrade – was trying to diss you – as being not an important part of the core system – the decision making process – or words to that effect
He completely missed the entire point because he himself was in the cushy glass house throwing rocks at you
The bloke has no fucking COURAGE to Challenge the ENTIRE SYSTEM
You stood Up Against The EVIL of Torture and said
NO
And some cunt tries to put YOU Down?
Sorry – We Ain’t Having This
We are not having this corrupt government and totally corrupt civil service sucking the life blood out of the English Working Class who WORK for your entire existence
Most of you tossers have never earned an honest penny in your lives
We also disapprove of Craig Murray for posting what he did on his wedding night
But Craig Murray has got BALLS
He has got the Courage You Don’t even want to dream about
So Craig – are you a New Dad with a New Baby or what?
Apologies for any swear words or lack of etiquette – but we’ve just been to see a great band.
This morning we were on the beach in Norfolk looking for Seals.
Tony