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| Terrace of the Oceanus Villa, Mustique |
Following past expenses scandals, British Members of Parliament have to take care to record all details of their incomes in The Register of Members' Financial Interests.
On Boxing Day, Prime Minister Johnson and his girlfriend Carrie jetted off to the Caribbean island of Mustique for a fabulous two week break in the Oceanus luxury seaside villa. It transpires that the total rental cost of that villa was £15,000. In The Register of Members' Financial Interests, Johnson has stated that this cost was borne by someone called David Ross - the wealthy co-owner of Carphone Warehouse. In other words, it was a gift.
To most British citizens, £15,000 is a lot of money. Basic state pensioners receive half of that a year. Meantime government agencies bear down on anyone of working age who seeks state benefits. They have to jump through numerous hoops and negotiate various obstacles before "the system" coughs up rather paltry sums that make daily survival just about possible.
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| The Oceanus Villa |
Johnson is a wealthy man. Last year, before becoming PM he "earned" £327,000 for seven speaking engagements. He also received £23,000 per month for writing his bombastic weekly columns in "The Daily Telegraph". So why did he choose to accept the gift of £15,000 from one of his supporters? Besides, David Ross is a fellow with a shady financial past who dodged and weaved his way to becoming a multi-millionaire.
Now Ross denies that he paid for the holiday but it is written in black and white in The Register of Members' Financial Interests. What's going on? Why would Johnson lie about this? Mind you, he has lied about very many things before.
I don't resent national leaders taking holidays from time to time. After all, President Trump takes two or three holidays a month down at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and no one could possibly question that. There he can lounge by the pool, twittering away to his heart's content. Over in Mustique it is rumoured that Johnson attempted to limbo dance on the beach under a flaming pole and in the process managed to set his central appendage alight. What a shame! Apparently, he calls it Winston.
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| Master bedroom - Oceanus Villa, Mustique |
I wish I could contribute to this, one of your more scathing posts. Alas, celebrate, I don't know what to say that you haven't said already.
ReplyDeleteU
That's unlike U Super U!
Delete£15,000 for two weeks? Hmm. I expect he had to take his own packed lunch though.
ReplyDeleteNo madam. The villa comes with its own chef.
DeleteActually, no, come to think of it there is something I can contribute. Not least by extending my best wishes to your son-in-law. Take heart, he is young, he'll be fine in a jiffy. However, if, in the meantime, he has decided to "sign on", yes, the hoops he'll have to jump through, for a pittance, are sickening, taking a strong stomach.
ReplyDeleteAs it happens I know someone who works for Job Centre Plus. Manager. You know the guy/ess who has to "motivate" their staff to get people OFF the register. One of the more favoured lines, particularly for the not so young any longer job seekers, to recommend going "self employed". Bingo. You may still be starving but at least you won't spoil government's employment statistic.
He talked me through the whole shit show how the system works. At length. One of the few occasions I have regretted not to be an investigative and blood sucking journalist was when listening to him. It's a scandal. As is, and an ethical conundrum (please let me know what you think), how to bring to public notice that which he told me in confidence.
U
Co-incidentally there was a documentary on BBC 2 last night on this very issue. You might see it on "catch up". It was called "Universal Credit: Inside The Welfare State". Soul destroying.
DeleteThat is a lot of money and at what point does a gift become a bribe?
ReplyDeleteIn politics there's no such thing as bribery Lily...apparently.
DeleteWhat does it say that I find nothing shocking about this in the least?
ReplyDeleteOh yes. What it says is that I have been living under the presidency of Donald Trump for over three years now.
It is easy to move from cynicism into "So what?" acceptance.
DeleteWell, Mustique looks ok but it's not Yorkshire, is it?😀😀
ReplyDeleteWe wouldn't want people like Johnson and his Tory filly holidaying here.
Delete'Twas ever thus. It's a good one for Hamlet quotes. "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." (Marcellus).
ReplyDelete"That one may smile and smile and be a villain." (Hamlet) Or our Prince of Downing Street could say "There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so." although he'll probably never say "O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I!". It will undoubtedly be a long time before "The rest is silence.".
You are on form today Professor Edwards! Thanks for your cutting literary input.
Delete'Tis meet you set it down!
Delete'Tis set down so in heaven, but not in earth Marcheline.
DeleteIs there a legal limit to the gifts MPs and other political figures can accept? In the states lawmakers get caught all the time taking similar "gifts" from wealthy and influential constituents.
ReplyDeleteMustique will be underwater soon enough anyway.
I don't know if there is a legal limit. Using fancy lawyers and foreign bank accounts, I am sure that people like Johnson find it easy to bend the rules.
DeleteWe have been electing a shameful bunch of fools.
ReplyDeleteIs there no honour, no dignity?
DeleteThis is the problem with many of our politicians. Too many are bought and instead of making important decisions based on what is right they make decisions to please the highest bidder.
ReplyDeleteI must say that I believe Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobuchar are different from that.
DeleteI hope so and also possibly one or two others that are still in the running. Amy Klobuchar has been moving up in the race recently and I'm glad to see it. Missouri's primary is in March along with quite a few other states. After that we will hopefully know who the Democratic candidate will be.
DeleteThis long and drawn out selection process seems to be giving Trump an advantage.
DeleteIn light of your response to Christina - I won't be holidaying in Yorkshire.
ReplyDeleteI hear Putin has already booked a few days accommodation over the Easter break. Raul Castro and Zi Jipping are joining him. Tony and Cherie are picking up the tab, and Hilary will be drinks' waitress, perhaps even doing a few lap dances. Bill is looking forward to a few boxes of cigars from Raul.
I can fix you up with a good deal if you holiday in Yorkshire Lee. Your lovely landlord will have to feed the cats while you are away. I will take you to Beverley. Children will throng the streets and you will will need to wave like Queen Elizabeth II.
DeleteMaybe when the food and music festivals are on in Beverley. Tell the kids to stay at home, and there will be no me waving like Liz! She has that patented, I think!
DeleteHang on! My two furry mates are screaming at me, "No! No! Not the landlord! He doesn't know how to chop up meat for his own cat!!! Stay! Stay!"
So, thank you....but, I have to decline your generous offer, Yorkie.
Aw! That's a shame. The council were preparing to change the spelling of the town's name to Bever-Lee in your honour.
DeleteDamn!
DeleteToo many higher-placed politicians seem to have a different idea of what's "perfect" behavior, to quote one of them . . . I don't know why they feel they're so entitled but they do. *gnashes teeth*
ReplyDeleteOne law for them and another for the rest of us Jenny.
Delete'Twas ever thus!
DeleteLike others have said here, it's not a new problem. One should hope that in this day and age, we'd know better, but apparently, we don't - as is the case with so many other things.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, your Mrs Merkel's personal integrity has not been questioned. Unlike Johnson and Trump she has appeared to be squeaky clean.
DeleteDoes politics ever attract the right people? However pure their intentions to begin with - are they all corrupted eventually and quick to accept the odd backhander and expensive holiday - even those from dubious sources?
ReplyDeleteBoris won't care what the populace thinks. He was voted in by a fantastic majority, so that makes him god and free to accept any freebie he likes, and to insist they are his right!
Your cynicism is very well placed CG.
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ReplyDeleteThere used to be a custom that Conservative MP's would resign when caught with their trousers down and Labour with their hands in the till. All that seems to have gone and this lot are guilty of both.
ReplyDeleteMost of the stuff we see on TV seems to suggest that bad behaviour is what gets the kudos these days. Does it stem from our leaders or are they just in line with current trends?
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ReplyDelete