In the 1990s it was usually sex which got MPs into trouble. Now it’s money.
This time it’s a Tory. Derek Conway has been rebuked by the Commons standards and privileges committee for paying his 19-year old son – who was at Newcastle University at the time – a research salary.
The committee has found a lack of evidence as to what work may or may not have been done by young Frederick Conway.
Last time the committee’s members gave an MP a similar kicking it was George Galloway last summer.
Conway is now facing a Commons vote over whether he should be suspended for 10 days and have to repay some of the £45,000 which his son received.
This comes at an interesting time for two reasons. Firstly, MPs are about to get more money to pay for their staff; up from the equivalent of 3 people to 3.5. The change was one reason why the Commons showed wage restraint during a pay debate last week.
Secondly, the information commissioner is fighting a running battle to get a breakdown of several MPs’ expense details after several decisions by the House to turn down freedom of information requests.
Getting information about MPs’ staff is still far from easy. The reporter who helped break the original story about Conway in the Sunday Times writes about it today in the Telegraph.
For the FT’s news story and a further link to the report go to this address.
Jim Pickard
Kiran Stacey
