UK NEWS

BLAIR CLAIMED TV LICENCE ON EXPENSES

Blair claimed his TV licence on expenses

Friday April 4,2008

By Julia White for express.co.uk

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(41)

NEW shocking details of MPs' expenses released tonight show that Tony Blair claimed £116 to pay for his TV licence.

The former Prime Minister, who regularly came under fire for abusing his position for his own personal gain, used Wesminster allowances to fund his viewing habits.

It was also revealed that Gordon Brown claimed £2,000 for cleaning.

Ex-deputy Prime Minister John Prescott £4,000 for food in the space in just a year.

Matthew Elliott, of the TaxPayers Alliance campaign, said: "Why are ministers on generous salaries who live in free homes allowed to charge council tax and food bills to the taxpayer?

Prescott claimed £4,000 of expenses on food

"Taxpayers will be shocked to learn that their money was used to fill John Prescott's belly rather than improve ordinary people's lives.

"It's important that people can see in detail where every penny of their money is being spent so we can hold MPs to account."

The information was released by Speaker Michael Martin after House of Commons authorities decided not to appeal the Information Commissioner’s ruling that they were wrong to withhold them.

Blair was criticised during his reign for abusing his post so he could lead a high-flying lifestyle on taxpayers money.

He came under fire for using the Queen's Flight as a private taxi service - handing taxpayers a bill of more than £1.2million. The luxurious flights included not just official trips but also family holidays.

The Blairs were flown by the Royal squadron for a series of family holidays in their early years in Downing Street, running up a bill of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

And they enjoyed luxurious family holidays in the villas of Cliff Richard and then Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Blair was ridiculed for telling MPs in his first week as Premier: "You are not here to enjoy the trappings of power but to do a job and to uphold the highest standards in public life."

The row is likely to further prolong the agony felt at Westminster over expenses, initially sparked by a critical report into former Conservative MP Derek Conway’s employment of his son at the taxpayer’s expense.

Further embarrassment was caused by the publication of the so-called “John Lewis list” detailing amounts which MPs are allowed to claim for furnishing their taxpayer-funded second homes, based on the prices at the famous department store.

Mr Blair claimed a total of £8,398.68 in 2005/06, including £3,958 for mortgage payments on his constituency home in County Durham, £1,558 on utilities, £672 for council tax, £1,331 for cleaning and £642 for a dishwasher and TV licence.

Mr Brown, then the Chancellor of the Exchequer, made no claim for mortgage interest payments, but received £137 to cover ground rent.

His total of £18,680.52 in 2005/06 included £4,981 for cleaning, as well as £4,918 for repairs, insurance and security, £2,385 for food, £2,132 for service and maintenance and £1,941 for “TV subscriptions/licence and internal upkeep”.

**** WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE ROW OVER EXPENSES? HAVE YOUR SAY NOW! ****

PRESCOTT CLAIMED £4,000 EXPENSES FOR FOOD

07.04.08, 8:39am

And the fat,ugly slob shows every pound of it,pity he didn't choke.

• Posted by: thewarlord • Report Comment

HUE

05.04.08, 9:09pm

What are you on about ?

• Posted by: abuela • Report Comment

NO WONDER HE'S ALWAYS SHOWN LAUGHING

05.04.08, 12:57pm

Laughing at the rest of us for being such mugs.

PARASITES.

• Posted by: Jac16 • Report Comment

CONTEMPT

05.04.08, 11:53am

Pure contempt for the Electorate, the only reason they seek court ruling to bar this information is because in the private sector this would be FRAUD.

• Posted by: RobertG • Report Comment

FOREIGNER? DEAR REUBEN (AND HIS 'TRIBE'):

05.04.08, 6:23am

First it was the

FOREIGNER ~

Jock Politicians

{perhaps there through the Merit of a better Education?}

THEN IT WAS ~

The corner shop curry cookers

THEN IT WAS ~

The skilled Polish building traders

{their dads and grand-dads and great uncles may have nipped over to fly Hurricanes}

THEN IT WAS ~

The West Indian music makers

BUT WOULD IT EVER BE
AND IS IT GONNA ever BE :
WHERE'S THE HOPE OF IT ~

The Israeli "security" in charge of London Underground on
seven seven

FINALLY, the last of my SIX SIX SIX points:

YOUR ATTITUDE, mate IS ENTIRELY
~ALIEN~
to the BRITISH way of Life.

{{{ CHRIST DIANA says,
tell them Hugh… that – right now – THE ONLY THING
which is """great""" about britain is
ITS KARMA }}}

• Posted by: Hue_ • Report Comment

YOU CAN BET!

05.04.08, 5:53am

You can bet your bottom dolar (taxed paid of course) that as this shower of shite have been bleeding the private sector tax payer dry the whole stinking wretched arm of public sector srevices has been at it as well.

• Posted by: kojak • Report Comment