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Oh, dear, more sleaze! Do we need to change the way that parties are funded?

(41 Posts)
foxie48 Thu 26-Jan-23 11:19:12

Extract from the Guardian

*The UK climate minister – who recently stated not all fossil fuels were the “spawn of the devil” – received campaign donations from one of the largest fuel distributors in the UK as well as an aviation consultant and recruiter, it has emerged.

Graham Stuart, Conservative MP for Beverley and Holderness, was appointed climate minister by Rishi Sunak in September. He has responsibility for net zero strategy and low carbon generation, and is the Commons lead for clean heat.
Stuart has confounded some during his short tenure as climate minister with claims that a fresh round of oil and gas licensing are “good for the environment” and more recently stating not all fossil fuels should be “viewed as the spawn of the devil”."
How do we ensure that political decisions are being made in the interests of us, the voters, without the input of "interested" parties. Idealistic, I know but surely there's a better way than what we have currently?

Whitewavemark2 Fri 27-Jan-23 09:33:41

More

“PPE has lost an astonishing £14.9bn to fraud, it was overseen by Matt Hancock, Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings.

They should all be on trial along with Michelle Mone.”

varian Fri 27-Jan-23 18:17:25

If we lived in a democracy, where politicians needed the support of the majority of voters, these people would be charged with corruption.

varian Fri 27-Jan-23 18:25:38

growstuff

Fingers crossed for the LibDems varian. Quite honestly, if Warburton stands in the next election and wins, the voters of Somerton and Frome will go down in my estimation.

Unfortunately growstuff the constituency of Somerton and Frome is due to disappear when the Tories gerrymandering redrawing of the electoral map comes into force before the next election.

The Somerton and Frome Conservative Association are happy to let Warburton continue to collect his MP's salary, knowing that they will find different candidates for the two new constituencies which will be carved up and in place by the next election.

Whitewavemark2 Sat 28-Jan-23 10:43:57

I see questions are now being asked about Sunak and his share holding in Moderna.

Conflict of interest and not declared apparently.

Every single day another scandal.

My goodness they need to go.

GrannyGravy13 Sat 28-Jan-23 10:49:21

Theleme invested in Moderna, Rishi Sunak left Theleme in 2013.

Whitewavemark2 Sat 28-Jan-23 10:56:45

Sunak was a founding partner, but left in 2013. However it is thought that he retained shares in the company, because when asked in 2020, if he was profiting from Moderna, he refused to answer.

Just like Zahawi. Refuse to reply in the hope it will go away.

Whitewavemark2 Sat 28-Jan-23 11:04:25

Yet more

Carol Vorderman

MICHELLE MONE other facts
Barrowman (husband) will be on trial in Spain in May for criminal fraud
Last yr police raided their homes & offices, charges pending?
It's claimed that B & Mone illegally benefited from upwards of £58m from PPE Medpro through trusts.

GrannyGravy13 Sat 28-Jan-23 11:06:02

Whitewavemark2

Sunak was a founding partner, but left in 2013. However it is thought that he retained shares in the company, because when asked in 2020, if he was profiting from Moderna, he refused to answer.

Just like Zahawi. Refuse to reply in the hope it will go away.

Should there be a ban all MP’s from holding shares?

If so what other professions should also be banned?

Mr.Sunak did not cause the pandemic, the vaccine companies made a lot of money, they also prevented people from dying and enabled the world to return to normalcy.

Whitewavemark2 Sat 28-Jan-23 11:14:25

It is called a conflict of interest.

He didn’t declare his interest in the company.

GrannyGravy13 Sat 28-Jan-23 11:22:46

Whitewavemark2

It is called a conflict of interest.

He didn’t declare his interest in the company.

In 2019 Mr. Sunak declared he had a Blind Trust

A Blind Trust is independently administered in order that people in public positions do not have a conflict of interests.

Whitewavemark2 Sat 28-Jan-23 12:36:31

Yes I know that. But refusing to answer the question that he has an interest in Moderna, does not speak well, not in the light of his declaration of integrity, professionalism and accountability on becoming PM.

Grantanow Tue 31-Jan-23 15:09:48

I think Warburton should go but I see no prospect of that. As to replacing him with a Lib Dem I worry the Lib Dems will join a Tory-led coalition as they did under Cameron. Of course, they would deny it now, wouldn't they (to paraphrase Mandy Rice-Davies)?

fancythat Tue 31-Jan-23 15:50:56

If I could be bothered, which I cant, I would be looking around at all the other 206 countries or whatever the number is, in the world to find out how they do it.
I suspect there are better methods than what is in the Uk.

Conservatives are beholden to donors? Labour is beholden to unions. I couldnt tell you who the other parties are beholden to.

foxie48 Tue 31-Jan-23 17:59:21

Whitewavemark2

Yes I know that. But refusing to answer the question that he has an interest in Moderna, does not speak well, not in the light of his declaration of integrity, professionalism and accountability on becoming PM.

I believe the purpose of a blind trust is so that the owner does not know what shares the trust is holding. Sunak would not have been able to declare an interest or declare he didn't have an interest because he would not have known. I'm all for holding people to account but you can't attack them if they have done the proper thing, which as far as we know, the PM has. I think it's of interest that his wife, who was completely entitled to have Non Dom status ,decided to be taxed as a UK resident when it was clear that it was becoming a problem. I wonder how many spouses of MPs would have taken that decision?

varian Tue 31-Jan-23 20:15:37

Grantanow

I think Warburton should go but I see no prospect of that. As to replacing him with a Lib Dem I worry the Lib Dems will join a Tory-led coalition as they did under Cameron. Of course, they would deny it now, wouldn't they (to paraphrase Mandy Rice-Davies)?

The LibDems have learned a hard lesson.

They put country before party and were punished by the billionaire funded Tories and by the electorate who gave them no credit for the good policies the LibDems forced through during the coalition and the bad policies that were blocked.

There is no way that the LibDems would enter a coalition with the Tories after the next General Election - NO WAY>