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Post by fretslider on Mar 1, 2010 18:06:04 GMT
Well, I guess we all knew that the evasive Tories were doing their level best to refrain from saying that Ashcroft is a non-dom. Ashcroft has donated millions of pounds to the Conservatives in recent years, much of which has been spent on campaigns by Tory candidates in marginal seats. Ashcroft say's he agrees with David Cameron that anyone sitting in the Lords must be "resident and domiciled" in the UK. Agreeing is not quite enough, one has to do it. Still he hasn't been made a Privy Councillor - yet
Sleaze, corruption and lies from the Tories is nothing new, and Labour are just as corrupt....
Lord Paul was made a Privy Councillor. Nothing odd in that, you may think. Except there is. It is very rare indeed for such a junior politician to be raised to the Privy Council. Lord Paul is, of course, a major non-dom donor to the Labour Party. Paul appears to be Gordon Brown’s favourite ‘non-dom’.
Its business as usual in the Rat House - aka the Palace of Westminster
It really needs blowing up.
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Post by Ben Lomond on Mar 1, 2010 18:51:44 GMT
The problem remains, as ever, the funding of the political parties----all of them. I don't particularly like the idea of public money being used to finance them, but until someone grasps this nettle, the parties will continue to scrabble for money wherever they can get it. Political parties are expensive, and the money that they need has to come from somewhere. So a Sainsbury, or an Ashcroft, or a Paul comes along with a very big donation, and any scruples the leaders have are quickly cast to one side.
And, deny it as they all do, there is no such thing as a free lunch. ALL donors expect something in return; even if it is only to influence policies! But the number of K's and peerages that have followed large donations are too many to be entirely free from suspicion that favours have been reciprocated! And the "non-dom" status remains with us; even though any of the parties could outlaw it at a stroke if they chose to do so. It is manifestly unfair, but as long as "non dom" equates to "big donation", then no-one is about to kill the goose!
Public funding is the only solution (much as it irks me to say so!)
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Post by fretslider on Mar 1, 2010 18:54:46 GMT
Unfortunately, I would say that they have blown it. Who would trust a reptile MP of any persuasion now?
Tighten the rules and if they 'go out of business' that's tough, they have no right to exist if they do not have sufficient support.
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