That's pretty damning for an organisation headed up by the former Chancellor of the Exchequer!
Or....on the other hand, maybe not.
I seem to remember that Alistair was a little muddled over money when he held that post, managing to claim expenses for a flat he let out...
And wasn't it he who managed to claim for four different houses in four years?
Indeed did the Telegraph not suggest that he had been accused of having his fingers in the till?
Oh, and didn't he hire an accountant at our expense to make sure he didn't overpay his taxes? The Chancellor of the Exchequer needed an accountant to make sure he didn't overpay his taxes. Pretty unbelievable?
In fact, did Nick Clegg not call for him to resign over his expenses? (You remember Nick Clegg don't you?)
And still they left Alistair in charge of the organisation and expected it to work out right?
I suppose it shouldn't be a huge surprise either that, when Women for Independence, an organisation on the YES side, lost some money (the £30,000 totally rubbished by Wings), it made the front page lead of the Record, but the loss of £57,000, as noted by the Electoral Commission, doesn't get a whisper...
It reminds me of the £10,000 that is went missing from an Edinburgh Labour constituency, which got a little coverage on inside pages, even though the constituency in question is that of the leader...
The Scottish Press peeps... what can we say?
Politicians and political campaign groups on both sides of the indyref have been caught out. Goes to show, when coupled with the crashing oil price, that separation would've changed little except make us all poorer.
ReplyDeleteBlogging over at http://towerblocktory.wordpress.com/
DeleteSorry Dean, I have yet to hear that Natalie McGarry has been found to be guilty of any impropriety. Alistair Darling was found to have used the rules to fleece us the Tax Payer. Now here is the difference. In Scotland it would take a Government beyond arrogance to deny the people the right to have their say outside the Parliament Building, at Westminster, go on, just try it!
DeleteMy point, Dean, is that when it was Nathalie, the papers and the tv news was dominated by it; when it was Alistair Darling, not a mention was made. Whichever side of the argument you are on, there is no doubt that this doesn't represent fair and balanced reporting.
DeleteThis is a clear cut case.
How many other things has the media decided to use its power to cover up?
And the UK is richer? 1.6 trillion in debt and rising, oh how we dodged the bullet there, not.
DeleteI see Scot!
DeleteI see, Helena, fewer and fewer things are now being discussed in their parliament.
DeleteWhen I wrote about the lack of democracy in the UK, I was unaware of statutory instruments which can deprive student nurses of their bursaries so that they pay while working their apprenticeship on the wards, just for one example.
Can you imagine, in a country so desperately short of nurses, that they would do that?
Clearly seen that the private health care system is available to them.
True, Jim. They keep on telling us that they are paying down the DEFICIT, happy in the knowledge that, just like the PM, the ordinary person doesn't know the difference between deficit and debt.
DeleteThe actual debt is unpayable.
Scotland has subsidised the "UK" in every year we have records for, back to the 1870s. Long long before the oil we receive no benefit from. Seeing as it's so worthless, I am sure that Westminster won't mind if it is devolved to Holyrood.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering when they would do that, as it's now just a burden to us.
DeleteOf course more sensible countries who "saved for a rainy day" instead opf subsidising unemployment and punching about their weight in military matters, like Norway, have such a massive oil fund, that the price reduction is having no measurable effect.
I suspect that their reluctance to hand it over has something to do with the fact that when Saudi is broke, and the royals have an internecine war, the value will soar again. And Gidiot wants to be there when it does.
Tris
ReplyDeleteI don't think anyone will be surprised that there is no media outrage, doesn't bother me anymore. They are just reinforcing the argument for independence everytime they print and people see their hypocracy and lies. They love people like Dean who fall for all their crap left right and centre, and believe all they read, although no doubt he would deny it. Oil as we know, was a bonus not a burden.
Unionists are afraid, they are angry they won and they know they won't win the next time so the failing media can print what they like, the clock is ticking. Rennie can talk about healing all he likes, it won't happen as long as Scotland is viewed as a region or a colony and not a country. I'm certainly never giving up because if Dean was right, and we would all be poorer, I will happily accept that to make our own decisions and to have gained back our place and self respect and I doin't think we would be poorer anyway. I believe we would do alright because to be honest the UK is on it's knees and if the economists are correct, we are in for a big hit and the unionists have done nothing to prepare for it. In fact I heard a former advisor of Osbourne say that we are actually at more risk now than we were in 2008 because of decisions this goivernment has made and that Osbourne is desperate for Chinese money and soon because he has (fucked up) the economy.
Dean will be right, we will all be poorer, but not because we decided to not be a colony but because we chose to remain one.
Bruce
Sadly Bruce oil is a burden to Scotland, without it we might, a teeny might have got away in 2014. Oil is a curse we have never had the use of it, we would be better off without it.
DeleteWell said Bruce.
DeleteThe thing is that they used all their ammunition the last time. Gordon can;t come out and promise federalism again; Galloway can;t promise devo-supermax again.
No use telling us that the tax jobs are safe... they weren't; that the steel works were safe...they were't either, nor was there a massive oil bonus for us as Cameron promised.
The lies one after the other have come home to roost.
Pensions are gubbed, social security gubbed, and after a promise that the UK was the only way we could stay in the EU, it looks like we will be dragged out of that by the likes of "Lord" Lawson.
No, they lie every time. With only a short time between the lies this time, they won't work.
I see your point Helena, but it would have been better if we'd been independent and could have put money away for a rainy day, like Norway.
DeleteOh to live the Norwegian style.
Indeed Tris, now if and that is the problem, we weren't but we could have had an oil fund, roads round the country and bridges and proper ferries which would make it easier for tourists to see some of the country which is other wise isolated. Then of course we would be making it more like a proper country and not Disney Land.
DeleteJust to remind anyone who has forgotten the extent Mr Darling went to to try and save his face From Jan 2010
ReplyDeleteWithout explanation, he has, however, just stepped down from the body which represents lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the Courts of Scotland.
Although Darling had proudly retained his membership of the Faculty long after he gave up practising law, he may well have believed he had no alternative but to resign when it began an inquiry into his conduct following the The Daily Telegraph’s disclosure that he had “flipped” his second home three times in four years and put his accountant’s fees for tax advice on his office allowance. While entitled to a grace-and-favour flat in Downing Street, Darling had claimed living costs against a flat in London and his family home in Edinburgh at different times.
Darling’s spokesman insisted that his resignation in the wake of the Faculty’s decision to investigate him for his conduct was no more than “a coincidence,” but his resignation will mean the disciplinary procedures that had been invoked will be halted.
The Faculty had instigated them after a member of the public had made a formal complaint about his parliamentary expenses.
Vince Cable, the Liberal Democrat Treasury spokesman, said, in the wake of the disclosures, that Darling had had his “fingers in the till
Brilliant find Fairfor. Thanks.
DeletePretty much explains what a creep he is.
"Coincidence" Aye!
But he is a Lord now and gets to vote on Scottish matters.
ReplyDeleteThe wages of sin, eh?
DeleteI wonder if he still needs an accountant to sort out the tax schemes for his lucrative after dinner speeches, books, directorships etc that inevitably follow appointments to the house of lords?
Still, he won't have to worry about paying tax on his lords' expenses. They are tax free for some unfathomable reason.
No, not a huge surprise Tris, but duly noted. Time of reckoning will come eventually, I hope. Even if we do win independence in the next 5-20 years, chancers and cheats like Darling and Carmichael will find a way to land on their feet.
ReplyDeleteps I have asked my mp again, when will the Commissioner responsible for Parl Standards investigate Carmichael. It still shows pending.
)http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/standards-and-financial-interests/parliamentary-commissioner-for-standards/complaints-and-investigations/allegations-under-investigation-by-the-commissioner/)
I thought, Brian, that they had instigated an investigation into him, but could be wrong. Not quite sure what that link actually says... Is it just their "to do" list?
Delete