Cicero's Songs

Andrew Gilligan in the Telegraph points out some interesting information about public sector expenditure . As always, the most juicy bits are the salaries. In transport for London (TfL), for example there are 231 people are paid more than £100,000. The UK Treasury has 21. Meanwhile it may be worth remembering that an MP has a salary of £64,766. The Chief Executive of Shrewsbury Council earned £335,000 last year. The Head of TfL earned £494,884 It may be worth recalling that the Prime Minister earned £197,689. Although I think "Sir" Nicholas Winterton has been one of the more egregious expenses cheats, and a pompous ass to boot, the media shit storm about his annoyance at losing his free first class rail travel seems a bit overdone. After all first class rail travel is a privilege that is extended to all officers in the army above the rank of Major. MPs have become every one's whipping post, but at least 80% of them try to do a good job in not particularly great working co...

In the twenty years since I graduated from University I have travelled greatly. I have stayed in many different hotels all around the world. If once I had ever submitted an expense form with a claim for a porn film I would have been dismissed for gross misconduct immediately. The Right Honourable Mrs. Jacqui Smith MP has claimed for two films : one apparently called Raw Meat 3 , the other By Special Request. She has blamed her husband. I don't see how that works: it was not her husband who submitted the expenses claim, it was she herself. This comes on top of the fact that Mrs. Smith has claimed £157,631 in expenses including £22,948 in "Second Home allowance" while seemingly registering her sister's home in South London as her main residence. This woman is the HOME SECRETARY!!!! Gordon Brown thinks that this is just a little personal difficulty. No it isn't. She should resign forthwith. Since she won't, I will certainly be looking forward to the eviction not...

An absolute joy to see the vile Tommy Sheridan being charged with perjury . I commented at the time on what- even then- seemed his dubious acquittal, that we had not heard the last of the case . I for one look forward to justice being done to one of the most negative influences on Scottish politics in recent years. Then again, only a few days after commenting that the role of the First Minister in the Balmedie Golf fiasco seemed pretty questionable, it seems that indeed Wee Eck now has to face questions over precisely what and when he did things. I certainly hope that the Curse of Cicero will fall on their heads and on that of Mr. Livingstone , who has also been a little closer to certain allegations than we might have expected.

It was a real blast from the past this morning, hearing Jonathan Aitken , the ex-con Conservative, who is apparently being considered as an advisor on prisoner conditions. I know we are supposed to be a bit forgiving he has, after all, "paid his debt to society", but there was still just a whisper of the old arrogance in his interview on Radio 4. It was hard to avoid the contrast with another disgraced ex-minister John Profumo , who genuinely did serve a penance for his behaviour. Of course the political opponents of the Conservatives will make hay- it is a misjudgement by Iain Duncan Smith that only serves to remind us of the sleaze of the last Conservative administration. As Lord Ashcroft struggles to answer questions about the assurances that he is alleged to have given concerning his tax status upon being ennobled, the old taint fills the air once more. I have three questions about the behaviour of other previous members of the cabinet. As regular readers here will know,...