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Anger grows over Hope's expenses - COMMENT ON THIS STORY

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Published Date:
12 May 2009
Corby reporter
Anger over Corby MP Phil Hope's expenses continued as the leaders of both main political parties were forced to make humiliating apologies for some of their members' extravagant claims.
Mr Hope has come under fire after it was revealed he spent £37,000 on refurbishing and furnishing his second home in Southwark.

While the MP defended his expenses claims to the Evening Telegraph, he ducked questions from reporters yesterday when he attended a question and answer session with pupils at Corby Business Academy.

But the row over the MP's home showed little sign of fading when he admitted he has allowed his son to use his two-bedroom flat while he looked for his own place in London.

Mr Hope said his son Nick stayed in the flat between finishing his masters degree at Leeds University and finding a job in London.

But the Minister declined to answer any more questions from reporters, instead remaining silent when asked about the details of his expenses.

Under Parliamentary rules MPs are only permitted to claim for goods and services incurred as part of their work.

Mr Hope faced strong criticism from Evening Telegraph readers with dozens posting on our website.

One reader, Marian, said: "Surely MPs can rent a furnished flat like everyone else? Why do we need to invest in second homes for them?"

And Dave Spence, of Raunds, said: "Politicians wonder why we have no faith in them. Politics in this country is so very wrong."

Yesterday Gordon Brown made a public apology on behalf of all MPs and Tory leader David Cameron also said sorry after the Daily Telegraph revealed details of the claims made by some of his senior politicians.


Phil Hope has said how sorry he is to his constituents after deciding to pay back £41,709 he has claimed in expenses over the past five years. Click here to read more.

After days of pressure over his Parliamentary expenses claim, Corby and East Northants MP Phil Hope has apologised to his constituents and said he would pay back the £41,709 he has claimed over the past five years. Click here to read more.

Phil Hope will be hoping his decision to repay his past five years expenses claims will protect his career as an MP. Click here to read more.

Where has all the bluster gone? Click here to read more.

The Labour Party in Corby has admitted the upset caused by Phil Hope's expenses debacle will not respond to a "quick fix". Click here to read more.

Phil Hope has said his plans to pay back £41,700 in expenses is a purely personal decision. Click here to read more.

Phil Hope has revealed he will pay back more than £41,000 in the latest twist in the MP expenses row. Click here to read more.

A political expert at Northampton University has criticised Corby and East Northants MP Phil Hope and his fellow MPs for the way the way they have used the expenses system to feather their nests. Click here to read more.

Kettering MP Philip Hollobone has been dubbed Westminster's cheapest MP in the past for submitting the lowest expense claims in the country. Click here to read more.

Corby and East Northamptonshire MP Phil Hope says he has done nothing wrong in claiming and receiving more than £37,000 to refurbish and furnish his London second home. Click here to read more.

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  • Last Updated: 14 May 2009 10:04 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Kettering
 
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thegoodoldboysfromsaga,

12/05/2009 10:05:51
It just proves that regardless of "within the rules" or not Hope milked the system and has proved to be Morally corrupt. How do you sleep at night Hope, when a few miles from your extremely desirable country residence the people of Corby & East Northants struggle to buy a £20 BBQ not a £190 one. You are and your Family are no different to the scroungers who milked the benefits system. THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE
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David Hankey,

Great Easton, Leics. 12/05/2009 10:15:25
"Nothing to say", what a surprise. How can he defend the indefensible?

The fact of the matter is that MPs may well have been operating "within the rules" but it was the MPs who made the rules. The whole episode is an absolute disgrace, morally unacceptable and needs wholesale reform without delay.

New Labour under Blair wanted to end this culture of sleaze in politics. They have had 12 long years to get their act together and all we have is yet more and more sleaze heaped on us every day.
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DT,

Kettering 12/05/2009 10:57:11
For me the key issue is, how can people who have no understanding of the issues and struggles of the people MP's represent, represent them effectively and democratically? The autocracy of Blair and the connivance of his party faithful have undermined democracy in this country over 10 measly years - no wonder so many people are leaving.
Even hereditary peers in the House of Lords seemed to have a better idea of what the British people expect, however much money and privilege they might have had.
Blair ruled according to his own needs, and now we all pay the price, while Brown takes the hit. I hope that his loyal followers also get to pay a price - chuck them out and pray that Cameron is not of the same ilk.
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RNG,

Corby Old Village 12/05/2009 11:12:44
Ultimately it's the exspense payment system thats at fault, some of the claims have been extravagant and the elected members have done what most people would do: push the rules to see what they could get away with.
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DT,

Kettering 12/05/2009 11:25:13
I don't think the expenses system is at fault - if these scroungers were conscientious people who knew what public duty was and were not in it to line their own pockets, it wouldn't be an issue, as the many decent MP's who have restrained themselves have proved.
Whatever new system that is introduced, these people will always bleed it dry.
What needs to be done is sack any MP discovered to have cheated, force them to repay what they took, and bar them from ever standing as an MP again, just to make sure they do not do a Mandelson.
Standing in the Commons is a huge privilege - maybe if a few more of them felt that, they might behave themselves.
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DT,

Kettering 12/05/2009 11:27:38
Of course that might actually happen, should the Speaker of the House actually be a decent human being rather than a fellow scrounger...
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David Hankey,

Great Easton, Leics. 12/05/2009 11:32:08
His constituents will have the opportunity within the next 12 months to have their say. My bet is folk will have forgotten, apathy will reign and he'll be back in again - if he decides to stand, of course.
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Paul CD,

Rushden 12/05/2009 12:01:24
Well at least we now know why it's called the house of commons, common Crooks, common Liars and common Scoundrels.
Go to the downing street web site look under petitions for Brown resign and do your bit, one of our ways of making our point.

Oh, and Mr Hope, I would still really like to know why you need a second home, rail travel is very good from the area. Or do need to write to you via Find Your MP site, there we are folks another way of expressing our disgust.
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DT,

Kettering 12/05/2009 12:07:21
How about all MP's being self-employed? They get a cash payment, and it's up to them to fill in their tax return - they would not be allowed any allowances that do not apply to ordinary people, and would be subject to the same scrutiny as ordinary people. They could also sort out their own pensions. Stop the gravy train in its tracks!
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qaz,

Northampton 12/05/2009 12:18:17
Can't help feeling Phil Hope is getting the raw end of the deal!

Northamptonshire MPs Second Home Allowances 2007-08 – from the BBC website.

Tim Boswell – Con £6,332
Sally Keeble – Lab £18,646
Phil Hope – Lab £21,361
Brian Binley – Con £21,700
Philip Hollobone – Con £22,999
Peter Bone - Con £23,061

Well done Tim Boswell, all the others are costing us a fortune!
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