Moonlighting MPs
The latest edition of Private Eye - the fortnightly satirical magazine - also contains an topical tale about Gordon Brown - the former Labour leader and sometime MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath.
EX-PM'S QUESTIONS
A reare sighting of former prime minister Gordon Brown - not in Westminster but Dubai.
In the latets register of MPs' interests, Brown revealed that earlier this year he attended the United Arab Emirates "government summit" a shindig put on by Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to give his authoritarian and undemocratic kingdom a gloss of statesmanship.
Brown was persuaded to speak for three hours by the payment of £62,000 along with £29,000 for "flights, transport and accommodation" for himself and his staff. Other speakers included two major-generals in the Dubai police force.
He opined on the need for investment in education - but it's a shame he wasn't invited to talk about human rights. The update to his entry in the MPs register was published in April - just as the current prime minister was raising concerns with the Dubai regime about its treatment of three Londoners who, jailed in Dubai for possessing cannabis, said they were tortured into confession by the local police.
On a prudent note, Browns' entries in the register all point out that: I am not receiving any money from this engagement personally. It is being held by the Office of Gordon and Sarah Brown for the employment of staff to support my ongoing involvement in public life." So that's all right then.
Now that's as maybe, but two things jump out at me.
The first is that in claiming £29,000 worth of expenses, Gordon Brown - a 'son of the manse', of course - must have developed rather expensive tastes to rack up that much in 'flights, transport and accommodation'.
The second is that for for the duration of Gordon's trip to Dubai and back he was being paid for doing his day job as an MP - which doesn't sound like a particularly good use of taxpayers' money.
I notice, for example, that around 150 MPs failed to appear in the House of Commons for the recent vote on same sex marriage - and I wonder if Gordon Brown was one of the absentees?
I must find the time to check the Parliamentary voting records.
