Yesterday Guido revealed Laura Pidcock was fined £3,835.32 for cheating in her re-election attempt. Today Guido can reveal three other Members of Parliament have been fined by the Standards Commissioner after using Parliamentary resources for party political campaigning.
- George Freeman: £759.03 for 1,147 campaign letters sent with prepaid House of Commons second class envelopes.
- Zac Goldsmith: £8,954.33 for 13,179 campaign letters sent with prepaid House of Commons second class envelopes.
- Daniel Zeichner: £343.96 for (claimed) 500 campaign letters sent with prepaid House of Commons second class envelopes.
All three politicians had, like Pidcock, sent constituents campaign letters using Parliamentary stationery and tax-funded second class stamps. After constituents complained the Standards Commissioner investigated the breaches and handed out fines, all of which have now been paid. Nothing more than a slap on the wrist…
Vince Cable has long been a staunch advocate of greater Huawei involvement in the UK. From stepping down as Business Secretary in 2015 right up to this year he’s been busy penning op-eds talking them up and defending them in interviews. He even launched a public attack on Theresa May in 2016 over the fact that she demanded more stringent security vetting for Huawei when they were in Government together…
Luckily for Vince all that loyalty hasn’t gone unrewarded, he was happily enjoying Huawei’s hospitality at their Summer Reception in Banqueting House on Whitehall last night. Also on the guestlist were Shadow Business Minister Chi Onwurah and Labour MP Daniel Zeichner, the SNP’s Lisa Cameron and Tory peers Lucy Neville-Rolfe, Michael Bates and David Willetts who gave a speech opposing a blanket ban on Huawei 5G technology. Whether or not they’re allowed to help connect the UK’s 5G network, they’re certainly good at making connections in Parliament…
Is it too cynical of Guido to wonder if old twinkle toes is not thinking about his retirement and that perhaps a few non-executive directorships for the former Business Secretary would be in order. Given Vince’s SpAd at BEIS was Ashley Lumsden, who just so happens to now be head of Government Relations for Huawei, this is more likely than you might think. At least that way he’ll get paid for the service he is now giving Huawei for free…
Jeremy Corbyn is facing a Shadow Cabinet split after imposing a three line whip on his MPs to back the triggering of Article 50. Several shadow ministers have previously committed to voting against Article 50 – Shadow Cabinet minister Dawn Butler has said: “I will reflect the decision of my constituents which was to vote Remain”, Shadow Foreign minister Catherine West has pledged “I will vote against Brexit in parliament”, Shadow Transport minister Daniel Zeichner has said: “When the vote on the EU comes before Parliament, my vote will reflect the overwhelming result in Cambridge – to Remain”, whip Thangam Debboniare has said: “I’ve told my constituents publicly that, at the moment, I would have no hesitation in opposing Article 50 from being invoked”. This afternoon the Eastern Daily Press quote Shadow Business Secretary Clive Lewis as suggesting he will vote against Article 50:
“I don’t think what is currently on the table, given the irreversibility of Article 50, means that signing Article 50 under these conditions is in the best interests of people in Norwich or the country.”
One of the following has to happen: These MPs change their minds, Corbyn backs down on the three line whip, or he has to fire them…
UPDATE: Tulip Siddiq has said she will resign from the frontbench if a three line whip is imposed, Sky News say Cat Smith and Jo Stevens also threatening to quit.
