Speakers Corner

[Farriercm]

Is it just gossip or the truth, that John Bercow Speaker of the house has claimed half a million in expenses in the past four years . If so, it makes Millibands trip to Israel,costing a mere twenty grand look like a sunday school outing.

[factor-fiction]

Where did you hear or read this? Do you have a link please?

[Mamyalynne]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2609342/Speaker-John-Bercow-run-half-MILLION-pounds-expenses-including-26-000-formal-dresswear-100-000-overseas-jaunts.html?ITO=1490&ns_mchannel=rss&;ns_campaign=1490

[emmie]

has to keep that missus of his happy,

[Jomlett]

Details of the Speaker's office expenses were obtained by The Sun under Freedom of Information laws.

[Gromit]

His salary over 4 years is nearly £600K.

[sandyRoe]

Which of the former speakers had their official residence in the palace of Westminster papered with wallpaper so expensive that it would have been cheaper to have covered the walls with £50 notes?

[Svejk]

its a shame labour made him the speaker, then, innit?

[factor-fiction]

Thanks Mamya.
I think the Sun is good at putting spin on things- like using the term 'jaunts'.
Roughly half the money comes under the categories of Official Entertainment and Overseas Travel. We'd need to see a detailed breakdown to see what these included

[emmie]

perhaps it was that champagne socialist Michael Martin

[emmie]

Bercow

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1204385/New-Commons-Speaker-use-20-000-taxpayers-money-furnish-grace-favour-flat.html

[emmie]

Michael Martin seems to have had a good go at spending public money,
if you read the John Bercow link, cor

[ChillDoubt]

I agree with factor. The office he undertook is wide ranging in its duties as is not just confined to the palace of Westminster. The breakdown in the link doesn't even hint at any improriety.
More sh*t-stirring on a slow news day by the looks of it.....

[woofgang]

sandy that wallpaper was done IIRC because the apartments are listed and the existing stuff had to be replaced. It was Derry Irvine

[emmie]

i couldn't remember his name, Derry Irvine..

[Gromit]

Sandy
That was The Lord Chancellor, Lord Irving who spent £650,000 refurbishIng his residence, £59,000 of which was for hand printed wallpaper.

[Farriercm]

Was Lord Irvine or Irving , a Con or Labour,? was this in the 1970s or 1980s? thanks.

[sandyRoe]

He was one of Blair's cronies, so hardly a rabid red.

[emmie]

a Barrister, so perhaps not,

[jno]

which party does Bercow belong to? The Mail seems to have forgtten to mention it for some reason.

Anyway, only £9 on postage is good. Looks like he delivered everything himself, using a government car.

[sandyRoe]

Have they done away with runners with cleft sticks?