Sylvia Breaks Her Silence
It's no secret that the North Down MP, Lady Sylvia Hermon, hates giving TV and radio interviews. Unlike other politicians who are always vying for airtime, Lady Sylvia regularly declines invitations to grace our airwaves, calculating that as long as she works hard on the ground for her constituents and enjoys a good relationship with her local newspaper that is all the coverage she needs.
In addition to this general reticence, the Ulster Unionist Tory courtship coincided with the death of her husband, the former Chief Constable Sir Jack Hermon. This is why Lady Sylvia's antipathy towards the Conservatives, an open secret around Westminster, has been hinted at rather than written in bold letters.
Until today. Who would have thought that the expenses row would finally lead to Lady Sylvia breaking her silence (over what appears the largely technical matter of over paid rent)? Then, in an interview with my colleague Gareth Gordon, she railed against the Tories charging for cleaning out their moats and finally declaried that she can't see herself standing as a Conservative and Unionist.
The timing of this intervention couldn't be worse for the Conservative and Unionist Euro election campaign. And it raises big questions about what will happen to the Ulster Unionists in the next Westminster election. Will their only MP Lady Sylvia take the Jim Kilfedder route and stand as an independent unionist?
On the topic of the Conservative Ulster Unionist courtship, Jeffrey Peel is claiming that the row about their joint logo, which led to his removal as a Conservative party officer, was all because the Tory tree was too green.
I'm 
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~31~RS~)
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Mark,
The Ulster Unionist leadership is now officially in disarray. This is just another kick in the teeth to Reg. Questions now have to asked about Reg's leadership. It was ok signing up to a love in with the Tories but what happens if Sylvia goes solo. Reg would have no MP's and there would nobody in the cabinet. What a laughing stock Reg would be. If he is not already...
Stormontspy
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The strange thing about this is that apparently she still believes that Gordon Brown would make the best PM, she's one of a rapidly diminshing band if true!
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Mark
LADY HERMON UNDERCLAIMS FOR OVERCLAIM
Would someone please give me one example where an MP has underclaimed?
Lady Hermon has today manipulated the media, most notably the BBC and UTV to give credence to her abject excuse for gain of some three thousand pounds at the taxpayers' expense.
From the snivelling Stephen Nolan to the sycophantic Ken Reid to the effete Gareth Gordon --- all fell for the hysterical, sympathy-seeking, self-serving ramblings of a balloon-head.
The only good thing that Lady Hermon has done today has been to damage the chances of Jim Nicholson.......... and don't get me started on that dolt.
Susie
Carryduff
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Her time was up, she lives on a different planet where she can do no wrong and everyone else can do no right. He self pitying performance on radio was cringeworthy and did nothing for women .
I suspect the Conservatives will be glad to see the back of her as she did not share their political viewpoint and was distorting the new project as it tried to accomodate her.
Sir Reg needs to take effective action and finally become the leader by dismissing LH from the party and not taking some wish washy concilatory approach that is doomed to failure
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Ulster Unionist Party in disaaray SHOCKER.
Reg Empey in weak leadership SHOCKER.
Relative newcomer planning leadersahip bid SHOCKER
It's all happening in Reg Empeys constituency office I bet (now its the party HQ too isn't it). Michael Copeland will sort it out.
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A green tie what is this all about?
Am I going insane?
Is the Lady going insane?
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YES OF COURSE THEY HAVE, PRIME MINISTER!
Reported in today's Daily Mail - expenses claims pertaining to the former Prime Minister, Tony Blair, were 'accidentally' shredded by officials. It gives a whole new meaning to weapons of mass destruction!
Even Labour luvvie, Victor Meldrew, when asked to comment said "I DON'T BELIEVE IT".
Pandora
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So now we know that Peter and Iris have claimed over GBP30,000 of food on their expenses over four years. Peter says he has always believed that the system needed to be reformed.
Does anyone know what his voting record on this issue is?
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re #8 JPLOTUS79 suggests that Peter Robinson apparently always believed that the system needed to be reformed and wonders what his voting record has been on the subject.
For your information JPLOTUS79 it appears from details appearing in www.publicwhip.org.uk he voted in favour of full and complete registration of MP's financial interests but was absent from all 9 votes on issues of Transparency OF Parliament over a period going back to 20/04/2007. Iris Robinson was absent from all 10 votes.
How many of the missed votes can be put down to being too busy elsewhere (ie being an MLA/Stormont Minister/Castlereagh Councillor etc)
This is no longer acceptable ...single mandate only must be agreed and implemented now.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
re #9 above
Have checked the voting pattern for all NIreland MPs who actually take their seats and the voting records on the subject of the "transparency of parliament" are consistently poor.
So what do our MPs do when they are at Westminster.....?
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Bushmill 1608,
The Ulster Unionist Party has launched a site which tells the truth about what the DUP really mean. Regarding double jobbing -
The DUP has issued a document in which it claims that some of its double-jobbing MPs will be standing down before the next election.
Only a couple of months ago in March when this was debated Michelle Mcilveen said - "If the First Minister were to be excluded from being an MP, that may weaken Northern Irelands lobbying position at Westminster. The DUP does not send a B-team to represent Northern Irelands interests".
Peter Weir said -
"Between 1921 and 1972, throughout the term of the old Stormont, there was, in effect, a convention that meant that only on rare occasions did someone hold a dual mandate. Was that good for unionism? Were Northern Irelands interests best protected, particularly from a unionist perspective, when the country plunged into difficulties in the 1960s? Did we benefit from having the B team at Westminster? The answer is no; we were utterly unprepared and, indeed, we failed to have any of our big hitters at Westminster ... I do not have a problem with dual mandates ...Can we not let the people decide who they elect and who they do not elect?"
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Mark,
Any word on the expenses of the SDLP?
Stormontspy
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NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH? - OH YES THERE IS AND FOR TWO!
Let's hope I can comment without some MPs complaining they have done nothing wrong. "It wasn't me gov, it was that journalist".
So, it was all the fault of a mysterious journalist who strong-armed Peter Robinson MP to have lunch. Well that must be a first. The BBC's Ms Purdy can immediately be discounted as not being that journalist and I have concluded it wasn't Mark as he was having two bowls of cornflakes that very morning.
In a public appeal, will the unnamed journalist please own up?
An arrogant prat me think's is the First Minister. According to the Daily Mail, Mr & Mrs Prat were awarded GBP325,900 (and change) from Northern Ireland and Westminster last year. Mr R couldn't buy a jobbing journalist a meal out of his own pocket. £50 - some lunch! I wonder how many of Mr & Mrs R's constituents could afford to spend this sum on a family meal, never mind a light lunch.
Why do these MPs think that the tax payer should fork out to feed them?
I have worked it out that £800 per month would pay for mum and dad, three adult children and the odd in-law for food and that would include the occasional Champagne breakfast. And I almost forgot, there would be enough money left over to give the Koi Carp three square meals a day!
Poor Mark - just a bowl of cornflakes for breakfast, washed down with a clear conscience.
Pandora
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Re #12
Stormontspy,
Fundamentally disagree a far as far as multi mandates are concerned.
If the DUP "A team" are the ones to lobby and deliver for the Unionist people of Ulster would you say their efforts at lobbying on behalf of the investors in the failed Presbyterion Mutual Society is a good example of their ability to deliver.
Further if the "A" Team are the sharpest tools in the box should it have taken so long for the penny to drop that their lobbying should have been with their Ministerial colleague in the Department of Enterprise Trade & Industry and not Westminster at all.
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Bushmill 1608,
At post 12 I was only pointing out the 2 faces off the DUP in the past couple of months. I think that the only MP's Northern Ireland should have in Westminster should be the First Minister and Finance Minister. All the rest of the MP's serve no purpose. Finance Minister is needed to bring home the money and the First Minister should be there to oversee anything that affects Northern Ireland. The rest of the MP's only ask stupid questions and waste time.
Stormontspy
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Mark
WHO PAID FOR THE ROBINSON'S HOLIDAY FOOD?
As you can see here Peter Robinson (probably Iris as well) spent a month in America during July/August 2008. Perhaps someone from the media might care to ask Robinson whether or not he made any parliamentary expenses claims for food in relation to the period he was on vacation.
Susie
Carryduff
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ODIUM OF THE MPs
Double our money, we'll all get rich
Double our money, without any hitch
Double our money, we'll take it away
XXXX the electorate, they'll just have to pay.
(by kind permission of Hughie Green, folks!)
The Craic Party
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Mark
The Moderators have advised that my Post 10 was "potentially defamatory". Tut! Tut! Herewith a reworked effort that should keep us all within the House Rules (Damn Rules)
OPEN LETTER TO SIR HUGH ORDE, CHIEF CONSTABLE, POLICE SERVICE OF NORTHERN IRELAND
Dear Sir Hugh
NOTIFICATION OF POSSIBLE XXXXX BY SOME NORTHERN IRELAND MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
I write to ask you to investigate a number of Northern Ireland MPs who may have been claiming expenses XXXXXXXXXXX.
Like the rest of us, you will have been outraged by the revelations in the Daily (& Sunday) Telegraph that MPs from all Parties have been XXXXXXXX the public purse through innovative and XXXXXXX exploitation of the rules on expenses. It is now clear that something very XXXXXXXX is taking place.
I am concerned particularly about the revelations in the following articles that have been published on the BBC website and in the Telegraph:
BBC
Telegraph
Public confidence in our elected representatives can only be restored if we have faith in their integrity. In my view, the BBC and Telegraph articles raise serious questions that merit investigation by the PSNI.
I now request that you immediately instigate a thorough police investigation of the issues highlighted by the BBC and the Sunday Telegraph.
I have every confidence that you can fill in the blanks.
Yours sincerely
Susie Flood
Carryduff
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Mark,
Is there to download the Politics Show, rather than just listen to it on Iplayer, like you can do with Nolan?
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Susie
X-RATED!
If we are not careful, our future entires will be made up entirely of XXXXX's!
Just as you advised me to 'keep punching', I will pass on the same advice.
Pandora
PS. I enjoyed filling in the blanks!
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To Stormontspy ,I think the leadership of the UUP is anything but in disarray ,in fact true leadership has been shown in their association with the Conservatives. It is long overdue to be closer to Westminister than what we have at present. Look at the Robinsons attendance at Westminister less than 30% BUT FULL EXPENSES CLAIMED some value!!!
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harryatport,
Your comment does amuse me. If true leadership was shown then why is their only MP "not a Tory"? Also their "not a Tory" always votes with the Labour party.
What about David Burnside and South Antrim? He resigned 2 months ago and yet the UUP leadership is still to decide upon a replacement. If someone in that constituency needed an MLA then they would have to go elsewhere.
My advice to you is to wise up until you can come up with something credible.
Stormontspy
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Pandora
MPs NEED CONVICTIONS
There is only one solution to the expenses scandal: SEND IN THE FRAUD SQUAD!
Susie
Carryduff
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Mark
ALLISTER FIGHTING DIRTY WITH SILLY SIMON
Paragraph 3 of this press release must be a bit unsettling for the DUP so it will be interesting to see if Simon Hamilton issues a refutation.
More worryingly for the DUP is that Allister knows where the bodies are buried.
Susie
Carryduff
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Susie,
Silly Simon has not refuted those allegations. Instead he asked the following questions from each of the three MEPs:
1. Have family relatives ever been paid any money from the European Parliament?
2. If so, which family members?
3. Who owns their office facilities?
4. Have family members ever owned their office facilities at any time since election to the European Parliament?
5. If office facilities are held by a property company do family members act as directors of the company?
6. Have family members ever acted as directors of a property company owning office facilities?
7. MEPs are paid a flat rate of EUR1200 for every return trip to the European Parliament that they make, the Parliament allows MEPs to keep money not spent on the cost of travelling to and from the Parliament. What do the MEPs do with the surplus?
8. MEPs are paid a daily allowance to cover the cost of food and hotel accommodation of EUR287. What do the MEPs do with the surplus?
9. MEPs receive a communication allowance of some EUR38000. How much of this has been spent and on what was it spent?
10. Have family members ever been paid out of this source for the administration of websites?
11. Who has been paid by the European Parliament for running any websites/designing leaflets/news letters?"
Stormontspy
PS If Diane Dodds gets elected will she answer these questions next year?
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LADY HERMON FOR SPEAKER
The British Parliament has had a variety of Speakers, numerous English men, sober and drunk, and an English woman dancer, Betty Boothroyd who was well respected by all parties in the Commons. Thomas George Thomas was famous for his Welsh accent of 'Order, Order' and of course the present incumbent (some say 'incompetent') Michael Martin, the Celtic Scotsman.
Why not in the promised new golden age of enlightenment should there not be a Speaker from Northern Ireland? Lady Hermon, with a socialist leaning, from a middle-class constituency and having a legal background would be well suited for the job. Her independence has been demonstrated as 'a-can't-be-got-at-female'; not being persuaded by Mr Cameron to join the Conservative/Unionist pact. Also, as far as I know to her credit, she has no work experience of sheet metal working!
I nominate Lady Hermon for the post of new Speaker of the House of Commons. She should be dragged to the Speaker's chair smiling.
Pandora
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Mark
GREGORIAN CONVERSION
On today's Good Morning Ulster, Gregory Campbell was at pains to point out that he does not claim rent for his constituency office because the building is owned by a family member. This was certainly not the position in February, 2008 when there was widespread media attention given to Gregory's using expenses to pay his wife 12,000 pounds per annum as rent for his constituency office. Here are some examples of the media's interest:
Belfast Telegraph
Newsletter
Perhaps someone from the media might care to ask Gregory when and why he stopped claiming expenses for his constituency office.
I think the Public should know the reason for Gregory's sudden bout of munificence.
Susie
Carryduff
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Susie,
I heard that interview too. Mr Campbell's comments are disgraceful. He should resign and do it now. He is blatantly misleading people.
Stormontspy
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Mark
RUANE GOES NATIVE IN CYPRUS
Initially I thought this Irish News story didn't have legs, but now I'm not so sure.
What with rooms in Mrs Ruane's five-star hotel costing up to 1,450 pounds per night during her "official visit" to Cyprus (God Help Us) with her daughter, I think it is reasonable, in this new era of expenditure transparency, that the good lady produces receipts showing a breakdown between "official" and private expenditure.
Adams keeps reminding us that Sinn Fein MLAs only receive an industrial wage so Ruane must be very good at domestic budgeting.
I hope she can prove it
Susie
Carryduff
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Mark,
Remember last year on Inside Politics in August you asked Jim Allister who owned his constituency office? He got hot and bothered and said it was a family member. Well today on the Newsletter there was a live chat and the following appeared
12:07 [Comment from Big Andy] the DUP have been asking who owns your constituency office, amongst other expenses [sic] related matters. Why will you not answer that question to clear things up for the public? Will you answer it now?
12:08 Good afternoon Dundela! Answered long ago. It is no secret that I bought my office with my own money.
This is following on from Gregory Campbell this morning. Is it DUP Policy to buy their constituency offices?
We (tax payer) already know that Peter Robinson and Iris Robinson both own their constituency office. Who else owns their office?
What is the truth with Gregory? Does he own the office? Does his wife own the office? Does a family member own the office?
Also Mark, Gregory said he employs his wife part time but in a list produced by the DUP last year it stated Gregory Campbell wife (Full Time) employs 7 in total
There is plenty off questions but no answers.
Stormontspy
PS According to the Assemblys register of interests for Jimmy Spratt it states
"38 acres, agricultural land, Comber."
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