• contact@blosguns.com
  • 680 E 47th St, California(CA), 90011

ANDREW PIERCE: Oops! LibDem dig at ex-PMs is an personal purpose 

ANDREW PIERCE: Oops! LibDem dig at ex-PMs is an personal purpose

By no means earlier than have three Tory ex-PMs held seats within the Commons on the identical time. For now, a minimum of, Theresa Could, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss all stay backbench MPs (David Cameron gave up his seat after leaving Downing Avenue in 2016).

So the Lib Dems should have thought they have been on to a winner once they known as for a assessment of the so-called Public Responsibility Price Allowance (PDCA) — higher referred to as the £115,000 annual taxpayer-funded allowance for former PMs.

Former LibDem chief govt Lord Rennard declared: ‘We’ve got a quickly growing variety of ex-Prime Ministers. Three of them proceed to sit down as MPs. Whereas Theresa Could claims solely part of the ex-Prime Minister’s allowance, Boris Johnson and Liz Truss are entitled to say as much as £115,000 a 12 months for so long as they are saying they’re doing public duties, which can be for the remainder of their lives.’

Former LibDem chief executive Lord Rennard (pictured) declared: ¿We have a rapidly increasing number of ex-Prime Ministers.'

Former LibDem chief govt Lord Rennard (pictured) declared: ‘We’ve got a quickly growing variety of ex-Prime Ministers.’

Oops! Rennard clearly hasn’t performed his homework. In a written reply, Baroness Neville-Rolfe, the Cupboard Workplace minister, identified: ‘No claims have been acquired from Boris Johnson or Liz Truss in relation to the PDCA; nor has any indication been on condition that claims will probably be made.’

She saved the most effective for final, nevertheless. The allowance was prolonged, Neville-Rolfe identified, to a sure former deputy prime minister. Sir Nick Clegg claimed at least £444,000 earlier than he went off to make thousands and thousands working for Fb.

A typical personal purpose for the hapless Rennard, who apologised after he was suspended from the Lib Dems for seven months in 2014 following allegations that he had groped numerous girls activists.

Penny holds SNP to account 

A political masterclass final week from Commons Chief Penny Mordaunt. After the SNP complained about the necessity to make £1 billion of spending cuts to fill a spot in Holyrood’s price range, Mordaunt listed a raft of poor spending choices by the SNP, together with £300 million wasted on two ferries that are actually 5 years not on time, £20 million on a non-existent second independence referendum and £5million in ‘local weather reparations’ for nations affected by world warming. Mordaunt tallied up £987 million of wasted taxpayers’ cash.

A political masterclass last week from Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt (pictured)

A political masterclass final week from Commons Chief Penny Mordaunt (pictured)

Come dine with me, insurgent lord

Lord (David) Willoughby de Broke, whose title dates again to 1491, commendably refused to endure patronising ‘inclusion and variety’ coaching, inflicted on friends at a reputed value to the taxpayer of £105,000.

On account of his stance, the octogenarian peer, previously of Ukip, has been banned from lots of the amenities in Parliament, together with the friends’ restaurant. Lord (Michael) Dobbs, the bestselling writer of Home Of Playing cards, has discovered a chic resolution.

‘I took him to the restaurant as my visitor,’ he instructed The Spectator. ‘A small act of defiance in a world dropping any sense of proportion.’

Spare a thought for Labour MP Jess Phillips, 41, who tweets: ‘Somebody requested me if one other MP (who’s six years youthful than me) was my daughter yesterday. Perhaps it’s time to start out moisturising.’

John Preston, author of a forthcoming ITV drama on the Nineteen Seventies Labour MP John Stonehouse, who faked his personal demise, sees parallels with the antics of a sure ex-Well being Secretary. ‘Stonehouse may be very Matt Hancock,’ says Preston. ‘A politician weirdly disinclined to look within the mirror and suppose: “Am I behaving like a complete a***?” ’ 

Sir Bernard Ingham has been wielding the stethoscope. ‘I’ve reached the conclusion that “europhilia” is an identifiable illness,’ says Margaret Thatcher’s redoubtable former press secretary, a staunch Brexiteer. ‘It distorts judgment and results in offences towards the state which can be an affront to all free-born Britons.’

Nurse . . . Lord Heseltine wants your consideration!

Overheard within the Commons final week: ‘Why have the Labour Get together known as off their Nativity Play? They couldn’t discover three sensible males!’

Leave a Reply