Menu
13/10/2009
Cameron Gets Tough On Expenses
The Tories have slipped back in the opinion polls.
They dropped one point to 40% while the government gained three to reach 30% in the first Populus poll to be carried out since the round of political conferences.
It is the smallest such gap since January and Labour's highest rating in the poll since April.
This will worry Conservative Leader David Cameron who has moved to address the continuing 'scandal' over MP's expenses.
Yesterday, he has warned his own MPs they face being barred from standing as Conservatives if they fail to pay back money demanded in the final determination of a review of expense claims.
Mr Cameron said "everyone" had to abide by the eventual decision made in the audit of expenses by retired civil servant Sir Thomas Legg - amid growing unrest in Parliament over the review.
"In the end, if people are asked to pay back money and if the authorities determine that money should be paid back and they don't pay it back, in my view, they can't stand as Conservative MPs, that is the minimum point," Mr Cameron told GMTV.
"One point is important, this is a process, you get a letter, in the letter it says 'this is provisional' and you have to reply to the letter and there will be some issues of determination about whether it is correctly described and all the rest of it.
"But at the end of the process, MPs have to pay back the money they are asked to by the authorities. To me that is the least we can do to try and sort out these problems of the past before going on to the future."
His remarks came after Gordon Brown agreed to pay back more than £12,000 of excessive expenses claims, but faced growing resistance from MPs reluctant to follow his lead.
The Prime Minister sought to set an example by immediately complying with a demand to pay back £12,415.10 he claimed for cleaning, gardening and decorating his second home.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg agreed to repay £910 in gardening expenses.
(BMcC/KMcA)
They dropped one point to 40% while the government gained three to reach 30% in the first Populus poll to be carried out since the round of political conferences.
It is the smallest such gap since January and Labour's highest rating in the poll since April.
This will worry Conservative Leader David Cameron who has moved to address the continuing 'scandal' over MP's expenses.
Yesterday, he has warned his own MPs they face being barred from standing as Conservatives if they fail to pay back money demanded in the final determination of a review of expense claims.
Mr Cameron said "everyone" had to abide by the eventual decision made in the audit of expenses by retired civil servant Sir Thomas Legg - amid growing unrest in Parliament over the review.
"In the end, if people are asked to pay back money and if the authorities determine that money should be paid back and they don't pay it back, in my view, they can't stand as Conservative MPs, that is the minimum point," Mr Cameron told GMTV.
"One point is important, this is a process, you get a letter, in the letter it says 'this is provisional' and you have to reply to the letter and there will be some issues of determination about whether it is correctly described and all the rest of it.
"But at the end of the process, MPs have to pay back the money they are asked to by the authorities. To me that is the least we can do to try and sort out these problems of the past before going on to the future."
His remarks came after Gordon Brown agreed to pay back more than £12,000 of excessive expenses claims, but faced growing resistance from MPs reluctant to follow his lead.
The Prime Minister sought to set an example by immediately complying with a demand to pay back £12,415.10 he claimed for cleaning, gardening and decorating his second home.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg agreed to repay £910 in gardening expenses.
(BMcC/KMcA)
Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
26 September 2008
Funding Boost Of £455m For Equal Pay Claims
Funding of £455m will be awarded to councils in England to allow back payments relating to thousands of equal pay claims from women workers. In a move to speed up long-term commitments to achieving equal pay for all council workers, local government minister John Healey gave the go-ahead to 34 councils to raise the money through capitlisation.
Funding Boost Of £455m For Equal Pay Claims
Funding of £455m will be awarded to councils in England to allow back payments relating to thousands of equal pay claims from women workers. In a move to speed up long-term commitments to achieving equal pay for all council workers, local government minister John Healey gave the go-ahead to 34 councils to raise the money through capitlisation.
10 September 2014
Energy Firms Begin Refund Campaign
The 'big six' energy firms have launched a campaign to pay money back to customers, amid pressure from the regulator. It is estimated that some three million energy customers could be entitled to reclaim up to £50 – which is said to be the typical amount left behind when customers switched suppliers.
Energy Firms Begin Refund Campaign
The 'big six' energy firms have launched a campaign to pay money back to customers, amid pressure from the regulator. It is estimated that some three million energy customers could be entitled to reclaim up to £50 – which is said to be the typical amount left behind when customers switched suppliers.
19 August 2014
New Data Shows Women Hit By 'Mid-Life Pay Crisis'
Female managers over 40 years old are earning 35% less than men, according to new data by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and XpertHR. To earn the same as a male manager over a career, a woman would have to work the equivalent of over 14 years more.
New Data Shows Women Hit By 'Mid-Life Pay Crisis'
Female managers over 40 years old are earning 35% less than men, according to new data by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and XpertHR. To earn the same as a male manager over a career, a woman would have to work the equivalent of over 14 years more.
01 September 2011
Commission On Minimum Wage Visit
Two Low Pay Commissioners are to visit London next week on a fact-finding visit about the National Minimum Wage. The visit is one of a number of planned trips the Low Pay Commission is making around the UK during 2011 to "gather information on how the minimum wage is operating".
Commission On Minimum Wage Visit
Two Low Pay Commissioners are to visit London next week on a fact-finding visit about the National Minimum Wage. The visit is one of a number of planned trips the Low Pay Commission is making around the UK during 2011 to "gather information on how the minimum wage is operating".
27 February 2006
Report highlights gender pay gap in the UK
Women are still being paid less than men, thirty years after the introduction of equal pay legislation, a new report has found. The government-commissioned "Shaping a Fairer Future" report from the Women and Work Commission found that women are earning 17% less than men. This was "bad for women and bad for Britain", the report said.
Report highlights gender pay gap in the UK
Women are still being paid less than men, thirty years after the introduction of equal pay legislation, a new report has found. The government-commissioned "Shaping a Fairer Future" report from the Women and Work Commission found that women are earning 17% less than men. This was "bad for women and bad for Britain", the report said.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:This evening will be dry. The rest of the night will remain dry with variable amounts of cloud and some clear periods. Light southwesterly winds. Minimum temperature 10 °C.
