Peter Cruddas, now the Conservative party's former treasurer, was secretly filmed by the Sunday Times ( ) saying that a donation of £250,000 gave "premier league" access to party leaders, including private dinners with Mr Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne, and with any feedback on policy shared with Downing Street.
Mr Cruddas had been involved in fundraising for the Conservative Party since June last year, and took over as the party's principal fundraiser earlier this month.
He said they would be able to ask Mr Cameron "practically any question you want" and "If you're unhappy about something, we will listen to you and put it into the policy committee at number 10 - we feed all feedback to the policy committee."
In his resignation statement, Mr Cruddas said: "I deeply regret any impression of impropriety arising from my bluster in that conversation"
Quite how he could describe his interview as 'bluster' defies belief having watched the video, or have we missed something ?
Nothing new here, every party does it and has been doing it for years, it's not right of course but every now and again the old chesnut rears it's head when another one is caught doing it for the party, all parties, nothing is ever done to permanently stop it, in fact various governments have implemented changes to what has to be declared about donations and what can be kept secret.
Every single donation is a bribe of sorts, if someone with a few bob thinks keeping Labour out of power or putting them into power will help them in thier own personal or business ambitions they make a donation, (obviously talking about significant donations) each party has such supporters.
The funny bit is how all these imoral and decietfull people run around calling each other names for doing the same thing, the Government slam the press for underhand tactics to sell papers like the current phone hacking "scandal" and the press have a go at the Government for thier money gathering "scandal" and the final result ...... nothing, such things will still go on there will just be a few sacrificial goats disposed of on the way.
after the expenses scandal of last year, is anyone here not suprised that there are still MP's who will steal and take a chance on making money through deception and corruption?
what reely?
from my point of view to be an MP there should be no second home expenses and there salary should be used the same way as mine is. cameron will slither under a stone and the rest will dilly and dally around the issue. corruption may not be what it once was in the palace of westminster, but it is still corrupt in many areas, and this is just one of many examples.
crooks and thieves.
as an after thought i wonder if ms j smith's husband still watches those porn channels that were free to buy for him, or does ms smith now pay for them? :bounce::bounce:
As far as I am aware the second home scam is that the government will pay the interest on a 2nd home that is required so that the MPs have somewhere to live when in London taking care of Parliamentary and Constituency matters. (I may be wrong of course)
I do wonder why the MP for Kensington needed a second home in London, oh he didn't did he, but he does claim the interest and costs of his second home in Devon ???
Why do any MPs within a reasonable driving distance of Parliament need a second home ? I mean I understand why the MP for Leeds does etc but locals ?
OK let's give them the benefit of the doubt and let them have a nice home in London close to Parliament, why do they need one each, why don't we buy them one of them blocks of flats that many Councils would love to get rid of, spend a few bob on them to make them not only very very comfortable as MP's demand but also safe, with guards and barriers to ensure the safety of all MP's in one go, a car pool so that they can travel to the office (parliament) together, maintenance costs, travel can all be reduced, security for them can be improved and yes the flats can be a bit luxurious with cleaning staff, a gym, a jacuzzi etc in the basement.
if i got a job in say leeds, i am sure that if i wanted to stay where i currently am i would have to pay for both dwellings myself out of my salary.
why does an mp need a second home fgs? nobody forces them to be mp's in fact i beleeve that the 64 thousand pounds minimum they are paid, should be ample money to rent another property with. that kind of salary is nearly 3 times the average wage.
if you live in cornwall and want to be an mp, then you will know that a lot of your time will be spent in london. do what hundreds of thousands of peeple do every week, stay in your home and commute and stay in digs where you work. if normal peeple can do it, why cant overpaid mp's do it as well?
Nothing new here - business and politics have always been conducted in this way by all parties of all hues.
How do you think we got the Olympics?
As a fellow P.E. reader HnS you know as well as I do that this is common knowledge and has been for a good while .... nice to see a proper bit of public spirited journalism for a change though,and always a pleasure to see horsey Dave with egg on his face
