Morning:
8°c
Shahid Malik to be punished if he abused public purse, warns Brown
Nicholas Cecil, Deputy Political Editor11 Jun 2009
Gordon Brown warned today that Shahid Malik would be disciplined after being reinstated as a minister if any abuses of his expenses are found.
The Prime Minister stressed that MrMalik, like all MPs, would have his expenses examined by a new independent body.
"Mr Malik, like every MP, will have to go through that process," he said. "If there's any difficulty or impropriety, action will have to be taken.
"In all cases where MPs are investigated now, repayments will have to be made where necessary, punishment will have to be meted out, discipline will have to be enacted."
The system was needed to give MPs a "clean bill of health" if they deserved it. The Prime Minister defended his decision to bring the Dewsbury MP back as a communities minister after he stood down last month as justice minister following allegations he had rented his constituency home at a below-market rate.
Mr Malik was reappointed after being cleared of getting his home on a preferential rate.
But Mr Malik has faced fresh allegations in the Daily Telegraph that he billed the taxpayer to rent an office in his constituency home.
He is alleged to have claimed more than £6,000 for a second office in his constituency.
The MP is understood to have dismissed the claims as "complete fabrication" and to be consulting his lawyer.
Mr Malik said: "I have never claimed anything from the public purse for any living accommodation apart from that which is permissible."
Reader views (23)
Goodness, gracious me! Now Malik is consulting with "his lawyers".
JOE PUBLIC DOES NOT NEED TO CONSULT LAWYERS.
ALL JOE PUBLIC IS GETTING FROM GORMLESS BROWN IS YET MORE SPIN AND WAFFLE, SMOKE AND MIRRORS.
I GET THE IMPRESSION THAT BROWN IS DELIBERATELY WINDING UP JOE PUBLIC - AND, WHEN CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE TAKES HOLD ON THE STREETS, BROWN WILL CALL ON THE EUROPEAN GENDARME
TO QUELL THE UPRISING - WITH NO NEED FOR A GENERAL ELECTION - AND THE SCOTTISH MAFIA WILL REMAIN IN POWER FOREVER AND A DAY.
THE BIGGEST DANGER TO DEMOCRACY IN THE UK IS MEDDLESUM.
NOW MEDDLESUM SAYS IT IS "OBVIOUS" THAT THE UK WILL HAVE THE EURO AS CURRENCY.
AS FOR MAILK - CANNOT SAY TOO MUCH, AS THE MATTER IS SUB JUDICE - SUFFICE IT TO SAY JOE PUBLIC KNOWS 5% OF WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE HOUSE OF CONMEN AND IN THE HOUSE OF FRAUDS.
DEMOCRACY?
DO NOT MAKE ME LAUGH.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK, 12/06/2009 06:11
Report abuse
A whitewash! Why has he been allowed to get away with it?
- J Bates, London, 11/06/2009 23:54
Report abuse
Brown has Darling Hain Mandelson Balls Cooper Jowell in his Cabinet.All are regarded with distaste by the public and in Miss Harman's Court of Public Opinion are not fit to hold public office.
Smith McNulty Hoon and Blears have been allowed to walk off into the twilight with their loot.
Little surprise that Malik's shady unaccountable behaviour has been found acceptable.No risk of him being prosecuted.
- Doff, audierne france, 11/06/2009 17:26
Report abuse
The world has gone mad! more and more as each day goes by they look like they think they can just sit there and waffle away and they think we are convinced by them.The corruption is rife, they are all looking out for each others backs.
- John, leeds, 11/06/2009 17:06
Report abuse
Dear Mr Brown
You asked for a chance and you have it. Now do something with this man. No more cover-ups
Regards
Gary
- Gary, Brentwood 2, 11/06/2009 17:06
Report abuse
Ok if he paid cash and did not get a receipt did the landlord decalre it to the taxman, over to you tax inspectors.
- Rob, RC UK, 11/06/2009 16:59
Report abuse
Hiding behind the cultural issue, hmmmm, me thinks!
- Mrs, London UK, 11/06/2009 15:53
Report abuse
Good next time someone comes to the door offering to carry out any work I will pay him cash and then refer questions the HMRC may have to Alistair Darling as he clearly agres with this black economy (Labour MP) as did Gordon Brown (Labour MP) when he was Chancellor. Great think of all the tax and VAT we do not require to pay. Oh sorry, I am the wrong religion. What the Minister does not know the law of the land UNBELIEVABLE and he is sitting in judgement on us and telling us what to do !!!
- Nick Holland, glasgow, 11/06/2009 15:48
Report abuse
He's taking us all for fools and playing the race/religion card. He and other Labour politicians (and voters) are deluded, out-of-touch, cowards, nihilistic and completely devoid of intelligence. But everything's OK because Gordon's in charge. God help us all.
- Simon, Chatham, Kent, 11/06/2009 15:36
Report abuse
If his religion means that he has to resort to dubious methods, then he should decide between his career and his faith.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 11/06/2009 15:24
Report abuse
Seems we have a " barrow boy " as a minister. Get rid now Mr Brown
- Robin, Wolverhampton, 11/06/2009 15:19
Report abuse
and they accepted that there are no receipts. How thick do they think we are as thick as Brown. Unbelievable. Try telling anyone you owe money to that you have paid but cant find the receipt, you would be laughed out of court. How on earth could he find he had not breached the code with no receipts?????? fix. he should be sacked and brought before the courts
Let the people decide!!
- Alan, Chelmsford UK, 11/06/2009 15:17
Report abuse
This excuse smells like a rotten mackerel in the moonlight.
- Frank, Bristol UK, 11/06/2009 15:15
Report abuse
Why are the tax and vat inspectors allowing these claims to go unchecked are these cash payments to landlords declared. as a business we have to produce documents for
every expense and provide vat invoices otherwise they
are come down on us very hard
- J Hemsworth, swindon england, 11/06/2009 13:27
Report abuse
ALL THESE LABOUR MP's ARE THEIVING TRAITORS AND SHOULD BE TAUGHT A LESSON IN THE REAL WORLD AND BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW!
- Dirk Diggler, Soho, London, 11/06/2009 12:55
Report abuse
I don't know of any religious or cultural norm in Islam that requires rent to be paid in cash, let alone half in cash. The only relevant norm might be non-payment of interest, but surely that doesn't apply. Citing these 'norms' without being specific is a way of wriggling out of this without actually explaining a thing.
- Denis Maceoin, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK, 11/06/2009 12:54
Report abuse
Well said Reuben. I agree with every word.
- Vanda, Wales, England, 11/06/2009 12:53
Report abuse
Justice Minister ? more like Sharia Justice Law - one rule for them and one for the rest of us. How do these MPs sleep at night ?
- Squiz, Islington, 11/06/2009 12:49
Report abuse
"matter of religious observance or a cultural norm".
The cultural norm here being MPs ripping of the tax payer.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 11/06/2009 12:17
Report abuse
GORMLESS BROWN HAS LESS CREDIBILITY THAN A DEAD RATTLESNAKE.
JOBS FOR THE BOYS.
I WONDERED HOW LONG IT WOULD BE BEFORE MALIK THREW THE RELIGIOUS ANGLE INTO THE FRAY.
WHERE ARE THE POLICE?
WHERE ARE THE HANDCUFFS?
ONE LAW FOR JOE PUBLIC AND A DIFFERENT LAW FOR MP's.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK, 11/06/2009 11:52
Report abuse
He's just another crook i a cabinet full of crooks. Brown is nothing more than despot clinging to power and surrounding himself with his own henchmen. The bunker mentality, he has 7 unelected ministers, some democracy and he is already back to his old tricks of cover up, spin, lies and incompetence. His latest gibberings are nothing more than smoke and mirrors designed by his new best buddy Meddlesome to deflect attention away from the mess he has gotten the country into and the fact that half his cabinet are fraudsters, himself included! Malik is not fit to hold public office never mind be a minister. It is a disgrace that democracy in the UK has been brought to it's knees by this disgusting shambolic rabble. We need an election now and we need hundreds of decent independents to stand against these dispicible parasites who have weaseled their way into power.
- Ed, Hants, 11/06/2009 11:46
Report abuse
'He defended the arrangements by insisting his first assumption was that he was being asked to pay £300 in cash, on top of the £320' This is really beleiveable coming from a JUSTICE minister, well then I will just assume that my council tax has been reduced and pay less than I did last year, see how that stands up. I would be locked up in jail before I could blink which is what should happen to these swindling tax avoiding con artists that are running our country, they should be flogged or put in stocks for the general public to decide their punishment. scumbags.
- Crowland, London, 11/06/2009 11:35
Report abuse
All this shows is something we already know: Gordon Brown does not have very good judgement. He will however manipulate to get his own way. If he wants Malik then Malik will be 'made' to appear innocent.
The phrase 'whitewash' springs to mind.
- Sarah, Portsmouth, UK, 11/06/2009 11:10
Report abuse
