Moat man and his 'Lady' keep it in the family...

The unfortunately named Douglas Hogg, the Lincolnshire MP apparently caught with his snout in the trough has announced he will step down at the next General Election.

So-called Grandee Mr Hogg is MP for Sleaford and North Hykeham where I grew up. When the scandal was first exposed, former Agriculture Minister Mr Hogg, or Viscount Hailsham to give him his proper title, claimed he'd done nothing wrong and refused to pay back a penny of his outrageous claim for £2,000 to clean the moat at his 13th Century country estate in Lincolnshire.

Today, several days later, the Right Honourable member Mr Hogg says he now entirely understands the public anger over disgraceful excesses in expense claims allegedly made by MPs of all parties - including Labour.

Mr Hogg claimed his main residence wasn't his country pile in Lincolnshire at all - but a flat in London. He then apparently claimed £20,000 a year in public funds to clean his moat, repair the stables, tune the piano and employ a lady to look after his second home in Lincolnshire.

Presumably the lady looking after the family home is not Lady Hogg, his wife, who is facing an under investigation investigation herself, it was revealed today.

The so-called Lady Hogg is said to have attempted to justified a claim for £5,594 overnight expenses by saying her main home was, unlike her husband's...OUTSIDE London!

What a stench.

Must the manure.

Tories back softer gambling laws - then collect the jackpot

Another story to damage politics itself.

David Cameron is under pressure to pay back £200,000 received by the Conservative Party. The Times reveals today that that the cash was paid by companies owned by a slot-machine tycoon shortly after Conservative calls for gambling laws to be relaxed...

Boris bills taxpayers £2k for Tory Conference...

Independent on Sunday

Anti-sleaze rules come back to haunt Cameron...

More whiffs of Tory sleaze today - less than 48 hours after Boris Johnson's Deputy Mayor was forced to resign facing a whole series of allegations. David Cameron is now under pressure to take action against his sidekick George Osborne who is accused of breaking Tory rules by accepting up to £10,000 for a speech in Jersey.

I have to say Osborne's defence when questioned by Andrew Marr on the BBC this morning appeared decidedly dodgy...

He insisted he didn't break anti-sleaze rules by taking between £5k and £10k, as well as complimentary flights and accommodation from the Jersey Institute of Directors.

His problem is that Tory guidelines clearly state:

'Shadow Ministers should not solicit fees for broadcuasting, speaking engagements and articles. Fees should not be accepted if the subject matter relates directly to your Shadow Ministerial responsibilities.'

Ironically, we know what those rules say thanks to Mr Osborne's previous rather questionable conduct.

They were made public a few months ago when wee Georgie faced an investigation by the House of Commons Standards Committee into donations.

Then, the Committee upheld the complaints against him.

Other Tory frontbenchers now facing similar conflict of interest claims include Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove said to have received a donation from the director of an independent boarding school.

And Gove's deputy Tim Loughton apparently earns up to £35k a year as director of a company that provides camera equipment for schools.

Will Cameron enforce his own rules, or will he back wee Georgie and the rest...?

What do you think?

Boris's Deputy falls on his sword - now spotlight should turn on Cameron...

Ray Lewis resigned tonight after revelations that:

1. He was NOT and NEVER has been a magistrate - as claimed as recently as yesterday by Boris Johnson trying to defend his choice of Lewis as his Deputy Mayor of London and...

2. Scotland Yard investigated a string of complaints against Ray Lewis - but each time decided to take no further action.

This sleaze scandal doesn't just reflect badly on Boris Johnson who suggested he didn't need to vet Lewis because he'd already been vetted as a magistrate!!

A spokesperson for Boris Johnson actually claimed this afternoon that Lewis has 'gone through the strongest vetting process outside MI5' ...oh yeah?!

More seriously, 'Lewisgate' once again calls into question the judgement - or rather complete lack of it - by David Cameron, the Tory choice for Prime Minister.

The now shamed Ray Lewis actually introduced Cameron as 'my mate Dave' at the launch of Boris Johnson's campaign to become Mayor of London.

Cameron described Mr Lewis as

'the most inspirational person he had met since becoming Leader of the Conservatives...'

Ray's best mate Dave may be regretting his choice of 'mates'...

UPDATE: You can now see Ray Lewis's resignation speech at the BBC in which he blames the media for acting like 'a modern schoolchild who won't accept the concept of delayed gratification' and explains that it is splitting hairs to say he is not a magistrate as he has passed all the interviews and has a letter to say he will be recommended to be one.

Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has warned that London's problems won't be solved if he only appints 'antiseptic yes-men' and has spoken of Mr Lewis's 'god-given abilities'. Boris appeals for Mr Lewis to be left alone, so that he can clear his name and be re-appointed Deputy Mayor.

Some hope Boris.

UPDATE 2: Daily Mail splash tomorrow - Boris: the wheels are coming off already.

Nannygate: 'Tory insiders' cast doubt on Spelman's story...

The Sunday Times says Tory insiders claim the registered Nanny paid by Tory Party chairman Caroline Spelman out of the public purse did NOT write letters or do other routine work normally undertaken by an MP's secretary.

If the revelations in the Sunday Times are accurate, then the accusations of sleaze at the very heart of David Cameron's Conservative Party will stick.

While the 'whoopsies' in Europe are one thing, a Tory cover-up involving David Cameron's party chairman and top 'sleaze-buster' Caroline Spelman would be much more damaging for David Cameron.

Certainly, there are too many unanswered questions in today's statements from Caroline Spelman and the Nanny herself which will continue to provide sleazy headlines for days to come.

Ms Spelman, in charge of making sure Tory MPs(and MEPs) don't get caught break rules on expenses, claims she paid Tina Haynes as her constituency secretary between 9am and 3pm every day when she first became an MP and that it was legitimate to pay her from her parliamentary staffing allowance.

Mr Spelman claims the registered nanny only provided childcare out of school hours for which she was unpaid, but in receipt of free board and lodge.

But according to Sunday Times, Tory insiders say

"although she worked five days a week, Haynes is not believed to have fulfilled the key role performed by most MPs constituency secretaries: answering letters and dealing with their queries."

In a statement on Saturday, Ms Spelman said hiring her nanny as her secretary was:

"a practical solution as she could deal with the secretarial side while the children were at school and then after school provide childcare for my kids..."

I note that one of her children was just two at the time. Was he really in school six hours a day at such a tender age? I suppose that would not be impossible, but Ms Spelman needs to explain more.

In the statement on Saturday, the Nanny said she did do "odd secretarial things" for Ms Spelman such as taking phone messages and posting documents.

But she seems to have forgotten whether she actually did secretarial work for 30 hours a week as Ms Spelman has claimed.

Even the Tory's favourite Sunday paper, the Telegraph says the Tory chairman was forced to issue a 'humiliating statement' and faces various calls to pay back the money and resign.

I suspect there's much more to come on this one...

Newsnight Questions over Tory Chairman Caroline Spelman and the public purse...

Tory Party chairman Caroline Spelman appears to have paid the wages of her nanny out of the public purse, apparently breaking rules on parliamentary allowances, according to BBC Newsnight's top story tonight.

Ironically, it was Ms Spelman who was tasked by Tory Leader David Cameron to clean up the Tory image following the £445,000 expenses scandal of Giles 'oops-a-daisy' Chichester.

He was forced yesterday to resign as Leader of the Tories in Europe after admitting breaching European Parliament rules.

Ms Spelman was due this weekend to examine Mr Chichester's expense claims!

Newsnight reporter Michael Crick called into question attempts by Tory HQ to claim that Mrs Spelman's nanny was constituency secretary as well as childminder. A Tory Party spokesperson suggested that a large part of Tina Haynes' work was as a secretary.

But in a telephone interview with Crick earlier today, Ms Haynes made it clear that although she occasionally answered the phone and posted letters, her primary role was childminding...

As former standards chairman Alistair Graham told Newsnight: "These stories are very damaging to our political system."

At least we now know what the Tories mean when they talk about 'The Nanny State'...

UPDATE: The BBC website is now carrying the story.

UPDATE 2: Now also running on the Daily Mail website.

Surely not a Third whoopsie Davey...?

A third Tory MEP is under pressure after revelations about expense claims appeared this afternoon on the blogsite Guido Fawkes.

The BBC has just reported that Scottish MEP John Purvis - seen here with David Cameron - has issued a statement saying 'he doesn't know' if he has broken the rules.

Yesterday, Giles Chichester admitted breaching the rules on expenses after reports that he's paid his family £445,000 in public money.

He stupidly tried to laugh off the scandal by saying: 'whoops-a-daisy...' before he was forced to step down asa Leader of the Tories in Europe.

This afternoon, Den Dover was forced out as Tory Chief Whip in Europe: I understand that the Conservative Party have denied that his removal has anything to do with media stories today that he paid his wife and daughter three-quarters-of-a-million pounds of public money from the European Parliament.

Now a third Tory appears to be in te frame...

With what looks like three whoopsies in 24 hours, Tory Leader 'Davey' Cameron must be wondering where it will all end.

Meanwhile, thought you'd enjoy this snap of Giles Chichester taken before he was forced to step down as Leader of the Tories in Europe.

'Keep the Pound' Tory steps down after paying his family £750,000...

A second top Tory has been forced to step down after it was revealed that he has handed £758,000 in public money to his wife and daughter.

£758,000. That's over three-quarters of a million. Pounds. Not Euros.

David Cameron's Chief Whip at the European Parliament Den Dover denies any wrong-doing in paying his wife and daughter more than three-quarters of a million pounds of public money over the past nine years.

He is a leading campaigner to "Keep the Pound".

Now we know what he means.

The news comes less than 24-hours after Giles Chichester resigned as Tory Leader in Brussels after an expenses scandal involving £445,000.

These scandals don't just damage the Tory Party.

They damage democracy itself.

Exposed: Sleazy deals by Cameron 'sleazebuster'...

The man David Cameron appointed as his top 'sleaze-buster' in Europe has been caught funnelling more than £400,000 of public money into his own private company.

Following recent expenses scandals, the Tory Leader gave Giles Chichester the job of making sure none of his MEPs was caught breaking the rules on expenses.

Chichester devised a new Code of Conduct on expenses for the Tory team of MEPs he leads in the European Parliament.

But The Times reveals today that Chichester has channelled £445,000 for 'office services' to a company founded by his late father - round the world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester.

That's more than TEN times the £40,000 of public money that Tory MP Derek Conway was caught handing his son while he was a student.

And that scandal cost Con-way his seat.

A senior MP tells The Times: '...watch Cameron move to sort this out...'

We're watching.

Mr Sleazebuster has admitted breaching the rules over a five year period.

What does he have to say about his transgression...?

'whoops a daisy...OK, hands up, mea culpa...'

Same old Tories eh?

Tory who didn't have the balls to tell the truth...

A newly elected Tory councillor has been forced to resign today after his past as a liar and a cheat was exposed by the Daily Mirror.

He took time off his job at Tesco's, claiming he was suffering from testicular cancer. But within days of his election to a council in Hatfield, Herts, it's been revealed that he made the whole story up.

This morning, after the story appeared in the Mirror, he fell on his sword and resigned. No doubt he now feels the pain of a kick in the ballots.

I know where I'd send the bill for the costs of the by-election that will now be needed.

Same Old Tories eh?

UPDATE: The Welwyn and Hatfield Times has now confirmed that Tesco Tory boy has resigned his seat on the council - exactly a week after winning it - and a by-election will be held.

Conway says: 'I'm not a crook', as secretary reveals she was sacked to make way for his wife...

Quoting Richard 'Watergate' Nixon was probably not the best move by shamed MP Derek Conway. He also insists in the Mail on Sunday that he has done nothing wrong. And for good measure he says MPs should get paid eighty to a hundred grand. That's a massive pay rise of £40,000 a year!

Meanwhile, the News of the World speaks to the secretary who claims Conway sacked her so he could give his wife the job. She says the MP flew into a rage when she questioned him, saying I will crush you. Crush you.

The NoTW perhaps understandably asks its readers to comment on whether all MPs are freeloaders - which highlights the damage Conway has done to politics - and not just to his own party.

Shock. Horror: I agree with Amanda Platell...well, almost!

I've seldom agreed with a word uttered by ex-Conservative press officer Amanda Platell...But I have to admit that her offering on the Derek Conway scandal in today's Daily Mail is spot on...well, almost.

Here it is in full:

More than a decade ago, when I was managing a national newspaper, I discovered an employee was stealing thousands by paying family members for work they had never done.

He was sent to jail for two years - quite rightly. So I simply cannot see why Derek Conway isn't facing jail after diverting tens of thousands of taxpayers' money to his family. Full marks to David Cameron for swiftly sacking him, but what an outrage that Conway is continuing as an MP, on his £240,000 package, for another two years.

If he had even a sliver of integrity, he would stand down immediately. But, of course, that might jeopardise his gold-plated pension.

Is it any wonder politicians have never been held in such contempt?

I agree with almost every word - except Amanda's 'full marks to David Cameron for swiftly sacking' Derek Conway.

Amanda conveniently doesn't mention the fact that on the day we learned that Derek Conway had paid his son £40,000 in public money for doing virtually nothing, David Cameron responded by making it clear he would NOT remove the Tory whip from Conway.

Cameron flip-flopped the following day - only after the damaging media headlines. And only after multi-millionaire Tory donor Stuart Wheeler went on the BBC Today programme demanding that Cameron take tougher action against Conway.

I've just listened to the Saturday version of Radio Four's Any Questions. Former broadcaster John Tusa made an excellent point on the Conway scandal along these lines:

If he's wrongly paid over £80,000 in public funds to members of his family for doing nothing, how come he's been ordered to pay back just £13,000?

Why indeed...?

A mention in Best of the Blogs...

New Statesman were kind enough to highlight one of my posts on the Conway scandal in their "Best of the Politics Blogs" slot.

The weekly political magazine lifted a quote from this post.

While I was pleased to be mentioned in despatches, perhaps this offering yesterday was more considered, but posted after New Statesman's deadline...!

Shamed MP halved secretary's wages - while his son says 'Fuck Off I'm Rich'...

The Tory MP branded an embezzler has now been accused of HALVING his secretary’s wages to poverty levels – at the same time as handing his sons and their friend tens of thousands of pounds in public money in overtime and bonuses.

Derek Conway’s son Henry parties the nights away in champagne nightclubs – and is reported to have recently hosted a Fuck Off I’m Rich party.

In stark contast, the MP’s secretary is said to be a hard-working single mother who lives in a council house and who has been forced to claim state benefits to support her income.

The Daily Mail today says Conway halved her wages to just £7,875 last year, claiming that ‘money is tight’.

Weeks earlier, he handed his son a massive bonus paid for by the taxpayer – despite no evidence that he actually done ANY work. And three months after halving his secretary's wages, he gave an £11,000 a year assistant's job to a close friend of his hoo-ray son Henry.

The Mail also reveals that Hoo-ray Henry has thanked his friends for their support as this week’s scandal unfolded – including Prince William’s girl-friend Kate Middleton.

Derek Conway has treated the House of Commons like a gravy train. He has given new meaning to the term top-up fees. Like millions of others, I struggled financially to get my two daughters through University. It was hard work, but today they are both qualified teachers and both paying back their student loans.

Conway has been caught with his snout welded to the trough in a way that puts Alan B'stard in the shade.

He's demonstrated his total lack of decent values. And he's shown exactly what he thinks of the ordinary hard-working folk who thought they could trust him to be their voice in Parliament - a so-called honourable member.

There's no surprise his son says: "Fuck Off, I'm Rich". Like father, like son.

Millions of people of all parties and none are rightly disgusted, shocked and angered by Conway's disgraceful behaviour - and no amount of claims that Conway is suffering a "witch-hunt" by Tory MPs like his friend Roger Gale will convince anyone.

Every penny of public money the MP has claimed since he was first elected a quarter of a century ago should now be fully scrutinised. And every penny he was not entitled to must be paid back. With interest.

He seems to have shown no compassion even for his hard-working secretary. He deserved none in return.

For example, I believe we now have a right to know how Conway funded the fees (currently £8,000 a term) to put two sons through Harrow public school.

From reports of how they've turned out, sending them to Harrow appears to have produced a pair of wasters.

More Tory sleaze and hypocrisy as Iain Dale defends the not so 'honourable' gentleman...

Another day, another shock revelation in the unfolding scandal of disgraced Tory MP Derek Conway...Thursday's Daily Mail claims it has uncovered secret documents which show that a close friend of one of Mr Conway's sons was also on the MP's payroll - as well as both his sons and his wife.

A couple of days ago when the story first broke, Tory blogger Iain Dale declined to comment on the plight of his friend Derek Conway.

Fair enough. But today, on news that the 'honourable gentleman' is to step down at the next General Election (before he can be deselected), Iain Dale has lambasted 'the baying mob' who attacked Derek Conway.

Iain says:

'Whatever Derek did or did not do he did not deserve some of the comments that have been thrown his way...'

Poppycock.

Let's be clear what Mr Conway did: he wrongly dipped into the public purse to pay his son more than £40,000 in taxpayer's cash.

The new allegations which have emerged regarding thousands of pounds in taxpayers cash handed to his other son, payments to his wife and now cash for a close friend of one of his sons, all warrant further investigation.

(By the way, I totally condemn the Mail's disgraceful fixation on the alleged sexual orientation of any of those involved. It's totally irrelevant to the core issue of misuse of public funds).

For Iain Dale to portray Derek Conway as a victim of a baying mob demonstrates that he is allowing his judgement to be seriously clouded by his friendship.

There's more than a touch of hypocrisy in Iain Dale's whinge about 'the baying mob'.

Only a few days ago, Iain was quite happy to personally lead 'the baying mob' attacking Peter Hain for late reporting of private donations to fund an internal Labour Party election.

Conway crisis gets deeper and deeper...

More sensational revelations about the public costs of Tory MP Derek Conway and his family from today's Daily Mail, including this helpful illustration...

Tory Leader David Cameron made it clear on Monday that Derek Conway would not be losing the Conservative whip just because he had been caught 'diverting' more than £40,000 of public cash.

Yesterday morning, Tory MP Roger Gale toured the TV and radio studios, stupidly claiming that Derek Conway was the victim of a witch-hunt.

But by lunchtime yesterday, David Cameron was forced to don his familiar flip-flops and do what he said he wouldn't do the night before...

Two things made Cameron's position untenable:

First, the media reaction against the not-so-honourable gentleman - including the Daily Mail describing Mr Conway's behaviour as theft.

Second, the BBC R4 Today programme by multi-millionaire Tory donor Stuart Wheeler that Derek Conway be sacked.

So Cameron was moved by money and media headlines...

Prime Minister's Questions should be even more interesting than usual - today at noon...