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Sacked and a criminal record would be what anyone else could expect so why not him?

- Mike, London England, 30/01/2009 13:05
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He shouldn't stand down - he should be knocked down and kicked out

- R.F., Yorks, UK, 30/01/2009 12:32
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I suppose when people get away with it they will try to get away with more.

This should have been nipped in the bud then the whole episode could have been avoided.

Embarrassment and shame for him and Parliament.

- Harry, London, 30/01/2009 12:28
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Yes there is no morality nor shame within the House of Lords which should have been shut down years ago, and the tax fiddling Hse of Commons. This is the example set to society by the priveleged and entrusted. Conway should be arrested and charged, along with the others

- Mark Armstrong, london. uk, 30/01/2009 12:28
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I used to work for a private company. Because I spent quite a bit of time in Paris for my job, my employers kindly gave me an expense account to employ someone in Paris to book flights, arrange meetings and so.
Thing is, I didnt really need any of that help - i could do it myself. However, i 'employed' my wife to do the work. She didnt really do anything but we pocketed the €30k a year anyway. Eventually my firm found out and sacked me. I made this up, but was anyone surprised when they read that my firm sacked me? Why on earth is Conway still an MP? Arguably, what he has done is even worse than my fictional one above. He is using public money.Give the money back, accept you are not honest enough and retire in disgrace.

- Rob, London, UK, 30/01/2009 12:07
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I was along serving RAF officer, and we were all subject to the strictest possible honour and expenses regime. As a military accounting officer I had to balance my books exactly to the nearest penny every day, and keep immaculate records. And the reason given for this discipline was that all public expenditure has to be accounted for to Parliament. So it's one rule for the ordinary folk who count the money, but another for those to whom they are accountable. Now don't get me going about expenses rules and entitlements. I used to have to work away from home for years on end, with only the meanest token of financial compensation, with any claim minutely scrutinised. The politicos are always soft on each other. After all, who's going to be next? The police should be called.

And why doesn't that Queen actually DO SOMETHING for once. They all swear allegiance to her, but what is the significance of that if they flout their allegiance to us taxpayers? She could get "her" Privy Council to audit Parliament. She has the authority under the Royal Prerogative. Ah, I forgot, that might upset the politicos, and they will get all anti! And she will get her wings clipped even further, as if there were much left to clip.

- Sandy, Ealing, UK, 30/01/2009 12:06
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I learned from bitter experience to never get in the way of a pig and its trough. Too many pigs, too big a trough, short of giving them each a measured bowl this will go on for ever.

It simply isn't in parliamentary interest to cure this problem. Once elected your snout is in the queue.

- Geoff, In the country, 30/01/2009 10:31
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I've often wondered if people like this get to keep their job because they know too much damaging infomation about everybody else in Parliament.

- Wendy, Wendy, Sydney, 30/01/2009 10:20
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He shouldn't stand down, he should be sacked and then arrested for defrauding the taxpayer.

- Steve, london, 30/01/2009 09:41
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No, he shouldn't stand down. He should be stood down, and then charged with theft.

- Lezli Taubler, London/UK, 30/01/2009 02:28
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The Houses of Parliament, after the Europeam parliament must be one of the best gravy trains of all time. The public's perception of politicians hazs fallen below that of estate agents and used car dealers. And anyoune who has tried to 'embelish' their expenses will be most envious of the way members of both Houses can diddle their expenses and solicit 'consultancy fees'to their hearts content. For anyone else to try that stuff and they're out on their ear. David Cameron has an uphill struggle before him; I have no doubt that he is leaning on Mr Conway to go. And don't worry about loosing the seat to the other lot, a solid victory is always good for putting the wind up Old Scotch Pants.

- Jeremiah, London, 29/01/2009 18:35
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It's strange that we don't get any reaction from whiter than white dithering Dave Camoron. Only last week Tory Posters were saying that if the Labour Lords were Tory Honest Dave would have immediatly sent them packing.

- Tony Travers, Ilford England, 29/01/2009 17:55
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He should have apologised for the abuse of public funds and returned the money promptly. It has taken another year to find him guilty, and ordered to repay the public fund.

I think he should be booted out of the House forthwith. He is not fit to represent his constituents.

- V Tan, London, 29/01/2009 16:50
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I assume Derek Conway and his colleagues in The House of Lords will all be auditioning for role in "Oliver" as Fagin's den of thieves

- Graham Franklin, Witham, UK, 29/01/2009 16:42
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He deserves all he gets Why just him? what about all the rest It is time taxpayers recover some of the money from all the dodges

- Rae Campbell, Bearsden Glasgow, 29/01/2009 16:14
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This man has stolen from us the public, at the least he should be sacked and ideally prosecuted for theft.

- Albert Hall, Carshalton, England, 29/01/2009 16:08
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It was theft. Of course he should stand down and be prosecuted.

- Raymond, poole, 29/01/2009 15:42
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Make all the others do the same and include a criminal record for all of them.

- Mike, London England, 29/01/2009 15:38
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The man has no pride,he should have gone from the start.In any other employment he would have had the law to deal with,it seems that MPs and the Lords are beyond the law.

- Gerald Diamond, Romford Essex, 29/01/2009 15:17
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YES, YES AND YES.
Other measures should be taken against this individual, besides just standing down.

- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire, 29/01/2009 14:38
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This is no longer a problem for the Conservatives to resolve ,Conway having had the Whip withdrawn.However we can have no confidence in the Standards Committee or its chairman who did not refer the case to the police.This camaraderie bodes ill for the enquiry into the 4 Lords which is so "rigourous"that it is held in private & the Labour leader of the Lords has already spoken of "entrapment"as tho it was a defence of corrupt behaviour.Surelt the police could enquire into Conway when he makes his next apology in the Commons...it is surely an acknowledgement of his crimeand leaves him & his sons open to prosecution.

- P, filey uk, 29/01/2009 12:27
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Why hasn't this man been removed from his post. If I had stolen from my employer I would hot have been allowed to remain in my job until it suited me to "step down". I would have been "taken down". Another example of the corruption throughout government.

- R.F., Yorks, UK, 29/01/2009 12:14
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In what other employment could someone be found to have 'stolen' or 'defrauded' their expenses and be allowed to remain in their post until they decide to leave in several years time. The Conservatives need to make a stand now, or shut up about Labours cash for honours, or the growing row over the Labour peers and cash for questions enquiry.

- Paul, South of England, 29/01/2009 10:06
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