Labour has named the team who will help new candidate Debbie Abrahams fight the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election.
Her campaign manager, hoping to help her retain the seat taken from Phil Woolas after his historic Election Court defeat, is Hartlepool MP Iain Wright, shown here (left) with his fat fucking 'live in friend' Tom Watson. Wright is the stupid fuckwad who visited the town last year and thought it a 'fantastic place.' He is one of the Labour MPs with 'form' from the expenses scandal. Read what this Honourable Member and his 'Friend' got up to prior to last years revelations.
Iain Wright and Tom Watson lavish £100,000 on shared central London flat on MPs' expenses
Daily telegraph 10 May 2009
Two Labour ministers, Iain Wright and Tom Watson, have used their parliamentary allowances to lavish more than £100,000 on a shared central London crash pad since the last general election.
Mr Wright, a junior housing minister, asked the Commons fees office if he could buy furniture at taxpayers' expense even before he had purchased a property, saying that he wanted to use up all his allowance for the year.
He was told that for form's sake he should wait until after the general election to see if he would be returned as an MP.
Mr Wright's flatmate, Mr Watson, the minister for digital engagement, spent the maximum of £4,800 in a single year on food, and had his expenses cut after buying a set of dining room chairs that exceeded the limit set by the fees office.
Both men later claimed for a half share of the legal costs involved in the original purchase of the Westminster mansion flat, and then the fees involved in buying the freehold of the property a short time later.
By purchasing the freehold, the MPs will have added significantly to the value of the apartment, but are under no obligation to pass on to the taxpayer any profits made when they sell the flat in future.
After winning the by-election that resulted from the resignation of Lord Mandelson as MP for Hartlepool in 2004, Mr Wright used his additional costs allowance, which members can use to fund a second home, to stay in a variety of London hotels.
In April 2005, two days after Tony Blair had called a general election for the following month, he wrote to the Commons fees office, saying: "Feel like I'm bothering you all the time, but I don't want to run foul of the regulations. Today I'm putting in a claim for £1,811, which includes £1,200 for things I've bought like bedding, kitchen equipment etc. I haven't yet bought a house although I'm in the very early stages.
"It's still OK to claim isn't it? It seems stupid to carry it over into next year when a large chunk of my ACA would go unused. Let me know your advice."
Using the MP's first name, a senior official replied: "Iain, this is not something I have ever come across before. So the following ramblings are me thinking out loud!
"It appears a reasonable request but the difficulty we would have is reimbursing you without a definite purchase date.
"It can be a lengthy process which could take six months perhaps a year – can I ask how early in the buying process you are?
"There is also the General Election to take into account. Not only the risk of losing your seat (unlikely I know) but also adding further delay to the buying process. My advice would be to claim from 2004-5 as intended but withhold your claim until after May 6 2005.
"Last year's allowance will still be available to you up until May 31 2005. I think DFA [the Department of Finance and Administration] would be more willing to reimburse you in advance of the purchase of the House [sic] once you are returned."
After purchasing the Westminster flat with Mr Watson, a close ally of Gordon Brown who was forced to deny involvement in the recent Damian McBride email scandal, the pair each submitted thousands of pounds for arrangement fees and stamp duty.
They did the same the following year when they purchased the freehold of the property, claiming £1,431.46 for more legal expenses.
As well as claiming for up to £375 a month for food, Mr Wright regularly submitted claims for toiletries, before being advised that these were not admissible under the rules. Mr Watson also spent significant sums on food, on at least one occasion exceeding the £400-a-month limit.
His expenses were docked again in 2006 when he claimed £210 too much for a set of dining room chairs.
Yesterday, Mr Watson was at pains to point out that a "pizza wheel" that appears on a Marks & Spencer receipt he submitted was given as a free gift after he went on a £150 spending spree at the store.
He added: "All claims were made under the rules set out by the House of Commons authorities. I fully understand why the public expects the system to be reformed. I voted for this last week and only hope that reforms can go even further as quickly as possible."
Mr Wright said: "As a new MP, I purchased furniture and electrical equipment once I was in the process of purchasing a half share of a small two-bedroom flat in London."
Two Labour ministers, Iain Wright and Tom Watson, have used their parliamentary allowances to lavish more than £100,000 on a shared central London crash pad since the last general election.
Mr Wright, a junior housing minister, asked the Commons fees office if he could buy furniture at taxpayers' expense even before he had purchased a property, saying that he wanted to use up all his allowance for the year.
He was told that for form's sake he should wait until after the general election to see if he would be returned as an MP.
Mr Wright's flatmate, Mr Watson, the minister for digital engagement, spent the maximum of £4,800 in a single year on food, and had his expenses cut after buying a set of dining room chairs that exceeded the limit set by the fees office.
Both men later claimed for a half share of the legal costs involved in the original purchase of the Westminster mansion flat, and then the fees involved in buying the freehold of the property a short time later.
By purchasing the freehold, the MPs will have added significantly to the value of the apartment, but are under no obligation to pass on to the taxpayer any profits made when they sell the flat in future.
After winning the by-election that resulted from the resignation of Lord Mandelson as MP for Hartlepool in 2004, Mr Wright used his additional costs allowance, which members can use to fund a second home, to stay in a variety of London hotels.
In April 2005, two days after Tony Blair had called a general election for the following month, he wrote to the Commons fees office, saying: "Feel like I'm bothering you all the time, but I don't want to run foul of the regulations. Today I'm putting in a claim for £1,811, which includes £1,200 for things I've bought like bedding, kitchen equipment etc. I haven't yet bought a house although I'm in the very early stages.
"It's still OK to claim isn't it? It seems stupid to carry it over into next year when a large chunk of my ACA would go unused. Let me know your advice."
Using the MP's first name, a senior official replied: "Iain, this is not something I have ever come across before. So the following ramblings are me thinking out loud!
"It appears a reasonable request but the difficulty we would have is reimbursing you without a definite purchase date.
"It can be a lengthy process which could take six months perhaps a year – can I ask how early in the buying process you are?
"There is also the General Election to take into account. Not only the risk of losing your seat (unlikely I know) but also adding further delay to the buying process. My advice would be to claim from 2004-5 as intended but withhold your claim until after May 6 2005.
"Last year's allowance will still be available to you up until May 31 2005. I think DFA [the Department of Finance and Administration] would be more willing to reimburse you in advance of the purchase of the House [sic] once you are returned."
After purchasing the Westminster flat with Mr Watson, a close ally of Gordon Brown who was forced to deny involvement in the recent Damian McBride email scandal, the pair each submitted thousands of pounds for arrangement fees and stamp duty.
They did the same the following year when they purchased the freehold of the property, claiming £1,431.46 for more legal expenses.
As well as claiming for up to £375 a month for food, Mr Wright regularly submitted claims for toiletries, before being advised that these were not admissible under the rules. Mr Watson also spent significant sums on food, on at least one occasion exceeding the £400-a-month limit.
His expenses were docked again in 2006 when he claimed £210 too much for a set of dining room chairs.
Yesterday, Mr Watson was at pains to point out that a "pizza wheel" that appears on a Marks & Spencer receipt he submitted was given as a free gift after he went on a £150 spending spree at the store.
He added: "All claims were made under the rules set out by the House of Commons authorities. I fully understand why the public expects the system to be reformed. I voted for this last week and only hope that reforms can go even further as quickly as possible."
Mr Wright said: "As a new MP, I purchased furniture and electrical equipment once I was in the process of purchasing a half share of a small two-bedroom flat in London."
Another one, pure as the driven shit, foisted upon us. Mind you finding an untainted MP these days is as likely as finding Lord Lucan propping up the bar at The Royal Oak, Werneth (an advert, by Jove). This one is no better than the three fuckwits who managed to end Woolyarse's career. The crooks are running the jails. This town attracts them like a turd attracts flies.
REMEMBER THE WORD IS........ NO !!
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