Sun Sets in the East
The sun has finally set on the political career of Anne Moffat - ex-Unison president - and the Labour Member of Parliament for East Lothian.
Anne Moffat was parachuted into Prestonpans with the help of trade union muscle - but her greatest claim to fame lay in racking up the highest travelling expenses of any MP in Westminster in 2003 to 2004 - no mean achievement.
Here's what The Herald newspaper said back in 2007 - before the extent of the MPs' expenses scandal became public knowledge:
"Moffat gives up fight to keep details from public"
"A Scottish Labour MP who ran up the highest travel bill of any Westminster politician has had a breakdown of her expenses published after a two-year battle for disclosure.
Anne Moffat's record bill was made up of thousands of pounds' worth of first-class rail and air fares, as well as trips to Malta and Portugal.
She is now being asked further questions about her expensive trips, particularly those to Glasgow and central London.
The landmark decision to publish the claims may open the floodgates for a spate of other revelations about MPs' allowances.
It follows a two-year fight by Green Party activist Michael Collie for publication of Moffat's travel bill.
The Labour MP was criticised after billing the taxpayer for nearly £40,000 in travel costs between 2003 and 2004, the highest claim of the year, Her huge bill led to questions being asked about the nature of her claims and prompted Collie to request more details through freedom of information (FOI) legislation.
The UK parliament's decision to refuse publication of Moffat's claims was overturned by the Information Commissioner, whose judgment was backed earlier this year by the Information Tribunal.
Westminster authorities stepped up their defiance by taking the matter to the High Court, an extraordinary move which they only backed down from last month. Collie was handed a breakdown of Moffat's expenses on Friday."
Not surprisingly ordinary Labour party members became convinced their MP was a dud - and finally decided to deselect her last week by 130 votes to 59.
Note how long and hard the parliamentary authorities fought - using large sums of public money when it suited them - to stop these details being released under the Freedom of Information Act.
Anne Moffat was parachuted into Prestonpans with the help of trade union muscle - but her greatest claim to fame lay in racking up the highest travelling expenses of any MP in Westminster in 2003 to 2004 - no mean achievement.
Here's what The Herald newspaper said back in 2007 - before the extent of the MPs' expenses scandal became public knowledge:
Published on 3 Nov 2007
"Moffat gives up fight to keep details from public"
"A Scottish Labour MP who ran up the highest travel bill of any Westminster politician has had a breakdown of her expenses published after a two-year battle for disclosure.
Anne Moffat's record bill was made up of thousands of pounds' worth of first-class rail and air fares, as well as trips to Malta and Portugal.
She is now being asked further questions about her expensive trips, particularly those to Glasgow and central London.
The landmark decision to publish the claims may open the floodgates for a spate of other revelations about MPs' allowances.
It follows a two-year fight by Green Party activist Michael Collie for publication of Moffat's travel bill.
The Labour MP was criticised after billing the taxpayer for nearly £40,000 in travel costs between 2003 and 2004, the highest claim of the year, Her huge bill led to questions being asked about the nature of her claims and prompted Collie to request more details through freedom of information (FOI) legislation.
The UK parliament's decision to refuse publication of Moffat's claims was overturned by the Information Commissioner, whose judgment was backed earlier this year by the Information Tribunal.
Westminster authorities stepped up their defiance by taking the matter to the High Court, an extraordinary move which they only backed down from last month. Collie was handed a breakdown of Moffat's expenses on Friday."
Not surprisingly ordinary Labour party members became convinced their MP was a dud - and finally decided to deselect her last week by 130 votes to 59.
Note how long and hard the parliamentary authorities fought - using large sums of public money when it suited them - to stop these details being released under the Freedom of Information Act.
