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CONNARTY PAYS BACK EXPENSES AS WESTMINSTER DEBACLE RUMBLES ON |
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Written by Press Officer
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Friday, 05 February 2010 |
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Michael Connarty, Labour MP for Linlithgow & East Falkirk has followed instructions from Sir Thomas Legg's commission to repay expenses. Last summer Michael Connarty tried to defend claims made for his second home in London, despite allegedly having furniture delivered to addresses in Falkirk district and Glasgow, according to The Daily Telegraph and The Times. The MP, who is the second most expensive MP in the UK,with an expenses claim last year of £183,466 in addition to his salary of £64,766 outraged constituents in Linlithgow & East Falkirk, who condemned his actions. In other revelations Michael Connarty also sold his London flat to fellow Labour MP Jim Devine, the Daily Telegraph said, who then claimed the money back on expenses for the furnishings. Mr Devine has recently been under a police investigation following his expenses claims, and Michael Connarty has been helping the Metropolitan Police with their enquiries.When Mr Connarty moved out of the flat, he left behind furniture and household items. Mr Devine, the MP for Livingston, bought the furnishings for £4,000, including £1,000 for a sofa bed.Mr Devine, according to the newspaper, then claimed this sum as expenses for his second home.Mr Connarty then claimed for goods at his new second home in London, including stereo equipment and a £250 electrical item.The newspaper said Mr Connarty also claimed back the cost of two beds and two sofas, which were alleged to have been delivered to his constituency home in Falkirk district and another property in Glasgow, despite expenses only being available for his second home in London.Mr Connarty later changed his designated second home to a flat in London owned by Ian Davidson MP. In April 2007 he claimed £2,181 for household goods, including a £178.95 set of scales and £249.99 for a portable stereo cd playerIn August that year, he was said by the newspaper to have purchased a £365,000 flat in London, charging the tax payer £13,136 in conveyancing and stamp duty. He then designated this as his second home, claiming mortgage interest of approximately £1,700 a month.Commenting on the clawback of expenses, Michael Connarty's SNP opponent at the forthcoming Westminster election, Tam Smith said:" I have always made it clear that if elected my expenses would be published monthly on the internet. Politicians must always be open and accountable. At a time when we are always seeking methods to encourage more people to vote, this Westminster expenses fiasco has turned the general public against politicians in general, and who could blame them. Unfortunately it is unfair on politicians such as myself, who only seek to do their absolute best to serve their communities." |
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Last Updated ( Friday, 05 February 2010 )
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LABOUR OUT OF TOUCH AS SNP GOVERNMENT PASSES BUDGET |
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Written by Press Officer
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Thursday, 04 February 2010 |
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Labour Out of Touch As SNP Government Passes Budget, Says Hepburn 
Jamie Hepburn, SNP MSP for Central Scotland, has welcomed the range of measures in the SNP Government’s budget which will benefit people in the Falkirk area, and criticised Labour members who voted against the package. Among the measures which the SNP Government supported and Labour opposed are:§ £31m extra for housing;
§ £2m for a Boiler Scrappage scheme;
§ Funding for 15,000 apprenticeship places;
§ Investment in skills for repair of traditional buildings
§ £10m to support students, including 7,500 extra places in tertiary education)
§ Universal Home Insulation scheme benefiting up to 90,000 homes
§ Increase in thresholds for small business bonus scheme
§ £1m for post office diversification fund
§ As well as continuation of the Council Tax Freeze and a further reduction in prescription charges. Commenting, Jamie Hepburn MSP said: “This is the third year running that Labour members have failed to support the SNP Government’s budget for Scotland. The Council Tax Freeze, reduced prescription charges, and support for small businesses have all helped people in the Falkirk area get through the economic downturn, and yet all of these measures have been opposed by the Labour party.“Measures like the boiler scrappage scheme and home insulation programme will also help ensure people have warmer, more efficient homes, cutting costs and carbon emissions.“I’m also very pleased to see funds for a Post Office diversification fund, which I hope some of the Post Offices in the area which have escaped the UK Government’s closure programme will be able to benefit from.“Labour’s single-minded approach to opposing anything and everything that comes from the Scottish Government has left them isolated in the Scottish Parliament as the only party to vote against the budget this year. They will struggle to explain to their constituents why they opposed such important measures which are making a real difference to the lives of people in the Falkirk area.” |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 04 February 2010 )
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SNP BACK POST OFFICES TO STOP LABOUR CUTS |
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Written by Press Officer
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Thursday, 04 February 2010 |
£1 MILLION FOR LOCAL POST OFFICESSNP BACK POST OFFICES TO STOP LABOUR CUTS 
Tam Smith, SNP Candidate for Linlithgow & East Falkirk has welcomed an announcement by the SNP Government that £1 million will be made available to help Scotland's local post offices survive the recession and expand their businesses. The funding was secured in a vote in the Scottish Parliament on the SNP Government's budget - which the Labour party opposed.Describing the funding as a boost for local services in hard economic times Tam Smith said: “This announcement shows that the SNP is focussed on protecting important frontline public services in these troubled economic times – even those controlled and often threatened by Westminster“£1 million is a substantial amount to help local post offices survive and offer non-post office activities in Scotland. Yet it is something Labour's MSPs voted against in the Scottish Parliament vote.“It is a significant investment from the SNP Government at a time of difficult decisions being made by this Government and Parliament.
"While Labour have spent the last few years in Government closing post offices the SNP is working hard to keep them open and keep them profitable.
“Post offices play an important role in the life of some communities. As well as postal services, they can provide access to money and banking facilities, support for local shops, and a hub for the community“This is reflected in the high value that the SNP and local people attach to their post office“The service provided by POs to the whole community must be recognised in taking decisions and that is what the SNP Government is delivering with this £1 million fund.” |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 04 February 2010 )
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