Clean Break or Plain Bonkers
The House of Commons has selected a new speaker – John Bercow – who proclaims himself as a ‘clean break’ with the past.
If that’s the case, then heaven help us – because Mr Bercow comes with a certain amount of baggage, as they say.
He claimed the absolute maximum for his second home allowance in 2007/08 (£23,083) – and did the same in the 3 previous years.
Mr Bercow bought and sold properties in both his constituency and in London in 2003.
Yet he was unable or unwilling to give a definitive answer as to whether he paid capital gains tax on his property dealings – or what profit he made on his property dealings – which were, of course, heavily subsidised by the public purse.
When quizzed on the subject by the BBC – the new speaker admitted ‘flipping’ his second home - but he stuck to the hoary old formula that he acted within the rules ‘at the time’ – and that he had done nothing ‘unlawful’.
Well that’s a relief – but it’s also a mealy mouthed lot of old tosh.
As a result of his elevation to Mr Speaker - Mr Bercow’s salary jumps from £64,766 to £146,041 a year – plus he gets to live in a splendid grace and favour apartment at the Palace of Westminster – and he receives a gold plated pension into the bargain – half hi annual salary, no matter how long he stays in the job.
As if this was not bizarre enough – Mr Bercow was once a member of the right-wing Monday Club (which years ago called for Nelson Mandela to be hanged) - but Mr Bercow has now moved on to the left-wing of the Tory party apparently – if such a place actually exists.
In addition to his annual salary, Mr B is also paid between £35,000 and £40,000 as an adviser to a private health care company registered in the Cayman Islands, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Yet, the new speaker was elected largely by the votes of the Labour MPs in the House of Commons – which just goes to show that the lunatics really have taken over the asylum.
If that’s the case, then heaven help us – because Mr Bercow comes with a certain amount of baggage, as they say.
He claimed the absolute maximum for his second home allowance in 2007/08 (£23,083) – and did the same in the 3 previous years.
Mr Bercow bought and sold properties in both his constituency and in London in 2003.
Yet he was unable or unwilling to give a definitive answer as to whether he paid capital gains tax on his property dealings – or what profit he made on his property dealings – which were, of course, heavily subsidised by the public purse.
When quizzed on the subject by the BBC – the new speaker admitted ‘flipping’ his second home - but he stuck to the hoary old formula that he acted within the rules ‘at the time’ – and that he had done nothing ‘unlawful’.
Well that’s a relief – but it’s also a mealy mouthed lot of old tosh.
As a result of his elevation to Mr Speaker - Mr Bercow’s salary jumps from £64,766 to £146,041 a year – plus he gets to live in a splendid grace and favour apartment at the Palace of Westminster – and he receives a gold plated pension into the bargain – half hi annual salary, no matter how long he stays in the job.
As if this was not bizarre enough – Mr Bercow was once a member of the right-wing Monday Club (which years ago called for Nelson Mandela to be hanged) - but Mr Bercow has now moved on to the left-wing of the Tory party apparently – if such a place actually exists.
In addition to his annual salary, Mr B is also paid between £35,000 and £40,000 as an adviser to a private health care company registered in the Cayman Islands, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Yet, the new speaker was elected largely by the votes of the Labour MPs in the House of Commons – which just goes to show that the lunatics really have taken over the asylum.
