Robert Morritt’s Missing Money –
Wandsworth Tory Auditor in Voodoo Accounting Mystery
Last week Guido broke the news of a brewing crisis involving Justine Greening’s former agent and current Wandsworth councillor Robert Morritt. When reading the following revelations, remember that Morritt sits on Wandsworth “the careful spending” council’s audit committee. Upon discovery of his secret taxi account in 2010, shocked Tory chiefs in Wandsworth Conservatives did some more digging. Guido has seen a report into the results of the internal investigation, and it makes for very interesting reading…
There’s nothing more important than sending off a long-serving volunteer with a good leaving present. In fact, if the 2008 books of Wandsworth Conservatives are to be believed, the going rate is pretty steep. It seems that when a blank cheque was handed to Morritt to buy the gift in May 2008 he promptly cashed it for the astonishing sum of £3,000. Sadly, the unsuspecting recipient – his identity will be revealed in later disclosures – actually only received a much more modest decanter valued at £200. So, £2800 missing? Where did that go, councillor? When asked that question in 2010 whilst under investigation, he simply replied “expenses”. Someone had a good night out…
The missing money doesn’t stop there. Party members constantly moan about the cost of party conference but, if the books of Wandsworth Conservatives are to believed, they have something of a point. In 2008 Morritt (as was his right as agent) asked them to pay for his pass for the annual conference in Birmingham. The problem is that the bill seems to have come to £1,012 – at least that is the value of the cheque he was written for that very purpose in July that year. On this rare occasion, he does seem to have provided a receipt. For £118. So that’s another £894 missing. “Expenses”, presumably?
Stay tuned for more damaging revelations…
See also: Justine Greening’s Agent in Addison Lee Fraud Mess
I am guessing that Labour have called for a Judge led inquiry?
It’s the right thing to do.
Who’s Robert Morritt?
Voodoo Accounting is WRONG!
Nothing new, the political class will always be more equal than the little people. Wail until the Olympics expenses start leaking, that will be a real story!
There is nothing wrong with voodoo, it’s how I got my huasband
Cllr Rob Morritt was the Council Leader’s right hand man in the Leader’s own election campaign to become Leader and was given various paid and influential positions as soon as the Leader was elected.
It is unthinkable that the Leader of the Council did not know about this…….assuming it is not some wild smear campaign of course…….which it could be.
Get real Tory Donor.
This is peanuts to what Brown spent
Brown didn’t ‘spend’, he ‘invested’.
I invested £200 on Becky Adlington to win the 400m last night
If only I’d had a teacher like this when I was at school. Would never have missed a single day.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2169712/Harrow-School-mistress-Joanne-Salley-I-didnt-want-boys-way.html
Rent boys cost money you know, plus they charge more for ugly boots like us. I think you’re terribly horrid Guido.
Indeed they do, we need an increase in the licence fee!
It cost me £500 for some drugged up junkie to rim my fecal impacted rim after removing my piss stained man nappy – how can I, as a respected member of the Labour Party be expected to pay that out of my own salary? It’s insulting.
When I asked if my expenses would cover a Brazilian the clerk told me it would. I think he had a waxing in mind.
Small Beer. Glad you can’t see what the games have brought in.
Lack of security?
http://kebabtime.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/todays-olympic-story.html
Shameless
Please stop tweeting.
It’s so vacuous when you do it.
Had a little breathe in ##tweet
And a little breath out##tweet
Finally she admitted there is no income tax in Monaco, adding: “I’m glad I’m not living in England paying a 50% rate.”
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/running-not-too-taxing-for-paula-radcliffe-429195
http://postimage.org/image/wbsr2xbxt/
Move along now – no racism here folks – move right along.
NHS! NHS! NHS!
Btw, if the BBC did not think the opening ceremony might be a tad political, why did they invite Laurie “politics is everything” Penny to comment on it during Newsnight?
She not an athlete or culture correspondent is she?
No socialism here, nothing to see http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2180863/London-2012-Olympics-Labour-Party-delighted-Games-socialist-opening-ceremony.html
Perhaps she needed to pay the rent?
Ok so maybe this doesn’t seem like too much of a problem to some people, but bear in mind that the sums being talked about are significant percentages of the money that the Wandsworth Tories raised. Plus it is scandalous that this guy is not only on the Council (the Tory flagship Council) but is also on the audit committee. He needs to be got rid of and Guido is doing a public service by outing this guy. Hopefully the powers that be will take away the whip and leave him to drift off into the political wilderness.
This guy’s clearly a crook. Someone should call the police in!
+ 3000 (200 for you and 2800 for me)
Is it all in the Handshake then ? perhaps this is
the real reason the Old Bill have not been called in ??
Why is he still a Councillor?
Fraud is fine, they will stand by you…not least cos they all knew about it so they kind of have to don’t they…he won’t be going anywhere…he is on to a good little number.
Its just if you do something like that woman councillor did the other day ..pushed her out cause they reckoned depression was contagious and would upset the punters…or something .Should have had her hand in the till she’d have been fine. Not surprised she was depressed working with a bunch of arrogant tossers like that.