Labour and the Unions
In the ongoing row over MPs' expenses - the trade unions continue to be mentioned in dispatches - with three former Unison officials featuring prominently in recent media reports.
Livingston MP and former Unison regional officer Jim Devine is being accused of dishonestly claiming £3,240 and £5,505 in expenses - and is one of three Labour MPs who will soon face criminal charges.
Jim Devine has already been barred by Labour bosses from standing again for the party - but denies vigorously that he has done anything wrong. Meantime the three MPs who will face criminal charges are to be prevented from claiming their 'golden goodbye' redundancy payments until the matter is resolved
John Lyons - another former Unison regional officer - has been told to repay almost £19,000 by Sir Thomas Legg who looked into the MP's claims going back to 2004.
Sir Thomas recommended that John Lyons - former Labour MP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden - repay £18,780.80 in mortgage interest payments. His report said that Mr Lyons had not responded to a series of letters on the issue, but Mr Lyons said he never received any such letters and has demanded an apology.
Former Unison President and East Lothian Labour MP Anne Moffat has been told by Sir Thomas Legg that she should hand back £2,873 in overpaid mortgage interest and other items. Ms Moffat is currently facing deselection by her local Labour party - see post dated 25 January 2010.
The Legg report says she was overpaid by £1,617.09 for mortgage interest in 2008-9 and wrongly claimed for £1,256.44 in 2008-9 for items that related to her main home (£152.16 for insurance, £476.09 for telephone bills and £628.19 for her Sky viewing package).
Livingston MP and former Unison regional officer Jim Devine is being accused of dishonestly claiming £3,240 and £5,505 in expenses - and is one of three Labour MPs who will soon face criminal charges.
Jim Devine has already been barred by Labour bosses from standing again for the party - but denies vigorously that he has done anything wrong. Meantime the three MPs who will face criminal charges are to be prevented from claiming their 'golden goodbye' redundancy payments until the matter is resolved
John Lyons - another former Unison regional officer - has been told to repay almost £19,000 by Sir Thomas Legg who looked into the MP's claims going back to 2004.
Sir Thomas recommended that John Lyons - former Labour MP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden - repay £18,780.80 in mortgage interest payments. His report said that Mr Lyons had not responded to a series of letters on the issue, but Mr Lyons said he never received any such letters and has demanded an apology.
Former Unison President and East Lothian Labour MP Anne Moffat has been told by Sir Thomas Legg that she should hand back £2,873 in overpaid mortgage interest and other items. Ms Moffat is currently facing deselection by her local Labour party - see post dated 25 January 2010.
The Legg report says she was overpaid by £1,617.09 for mortgage interest in 2008-9 and wrongly claimed for £1,256.44 in 2008-9 for items that related to her main home (£152.16 for insurance, £476.09 for telephone bills and £628.19 for her Sky viewing package).
