Another MP thrown in jail

The former MP and Europe minister Denis MacShane has been sentenced to six months’ in jail after admitting making bogus expense claims amounting to nearly £13,000.

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During sentencing at the Old Bailey, Mr Justice Sweeney said MacShane had committed a “flagrant breach of trust” and had no one to blame but himself.

“The dishonesty involved was considerable and was repeated many times over a long period,” the judge said. “The deception used was calculated and designed to avoid suspicion falling on your claims.”

We at The Haze note without a flicker of surprise that another person who is supposed to be working for us regards their position within the democratic process as a licence to print money.

This follows the four MPs already jailed for fraud, the sobering tail of Lord Hanningfield  who was caught (again) just a few days ago via a sting ran by The Daily Mirror.

Of course this is just the tip of the iceberg.

We can surely expect more revelations to emerge soon from The House of Lords where the aforementioned Lord Hanningfield reckoned at least 50 other peers ‘clocked in’ for a few minutes in order to pocket the £300 attendance fee and some expenses.

The expenses fiddles of course are just one small symptom of a democratic process that is corrupt in so many places.

* When will scrutiny be applied to how corporate lobbyists get so many meetings with government ministers?

* When will scrutiny be applied to the revolving door between Westminster, Whitehall and the City of London?

* When will the role in donations to the conservative party from hedge funds and bankers be examined?

lets not hold our breath…Neoliberalism has captured all of the major political parties so its no surprise that all concerned play the game for themselves.