Wasting Public Money
At the weekend, various newspapers reported on the scandalous behaviour of the former government minister - Shahid Malik.
Shahid Malik claimed £235 on his second home allowances to pay insurance premiums - for the engagement ring belonging to someone else.
Not a huge amount of money to be sure - but it just goes to show the mindset of Westminster MPs - who felt the public purse should meet all kinds of ludicrous 'expenses' claims.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, said that Mr Malik was guilty of a "clear-cut breach of the rules" - but the former Labour minister has since lost his parliamentary seat.
So ultimately the voters of Dewsbury exacted their revenge.
Mr Malik clearly has a real brass neck - because instead of accepting responsibility for his own behaviour - he said he did not recall asking his insurers to cover the ring.
He also said the fees office had failed in its "duty of care" to him by twice accepting his claims for expenses - when they should not have!
Mr Malik, 42, served as an international development minister, justice minister and communities minister under Gordon Brown.
In the audit of all MPs' expenses by Sir Thomas Legg - he was ordered to repay £1,300 - including money spent on a massage chair and plasma screen television.
Malik stepped down as a justice minister last year after The Daily Telegraph reported that the landlord of his main home said the rent was below market rate - which raised questions about Mr Malik's compliance with the ministerial code and potential conflicts of interests.
Mr Malik rejoined the government after being cleared by an inquiry - but then lost his seat in May's general election.
Shahid Malik claimed £235 on his second home allowances to pay insurance premiums - for the engagement ring belonging to someone else.
Not a huge amount of money to be sure - but it just goes to show the mindset of Westminster MPs - who felt the public purse should meet all kinds of ludicrous 'expenses' claims.
The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, said that Mr Malik was guilty of a "clear-cut breach of the rules" - but the former Labour minister has since lost his parliamentary seat.
So ultimately the voters of Dewsbury exacted their revenge.
Mr Malik clearly has a real brass neck - because instead of accepting responsibility for his own behaviour - he said he did not recall asking his insurers to cover the ring.
He also said the fees office had failed in its "duty of care" to him by twice accepting his claims for expenses - when they should not have!
Mr Malik, 42, served as an international development minister, justice minister and communities minister under Gordon Brown.
In the audit of all MPs' expenses by Sir Thomas Legg - he was ordered to repay £1,300 - including money spent on a massage chair and plasma screen television.
Malik stepped down as a justice minister last year after The Daily Telegraph reported that the landlord of his main home said the rent was below market rate - which raised questions about Mr Malik's compliance with the ministerial code and potential conflicts of interests.
Mr Malik rejoined the government after being cleared by an inquiry - but then lost his seat in May's general election.
