Fraudulent minister gets (metaphorical) slap on the wrist

One law for them...: This image appeared on Twitter, summarising how the law treats MPs in comparison with the rest of us.

One law for them…: This image appeared on Twitter, summarising how the law treats MPs in comparison with the rest of us.

Fraudster – and Minister for Equalities – Maria Miller has been ordered to repay £5,800 and apologise to Parliament after an inquiry found she had over-claimed mortgage expenses.

In essence, she made fraudulent expenses claims that were not reduced to accommodate a fall in interest rates.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards launched an investigation into her behaviour after it was reported that, between 2005 and 2009, she had claimed £90,718 in Parliamentary expenses for the mortgage and upkeep of a south London house that was occupied, not by Mrs Miller, but by her parents.

The Commons Committee on Standards did what’s usually expected and cleared Miller of the central charge – deliberately submitting expenses claims to which she was not entitled. Instead, she is being penalised because her attitude to the inquiry breached the ministers’ code of conduct.

The committee rejected the charge that she or her parents had benefited financially from the arrangement. That’s very interesting, considering that Miller recently sold the south London house at the centre of the affair, making a profit of £1 million (according to the Daily Telegraph).

John Mann MP, whose complaint led to the inquiry being launched, has been tweeting on the subject. He says: “Miller forced to apologise for showing ‘completely inappropriate attitude to the inquiry’. Doesn’t take it seriously.

“Miller’s attitude will infuriate the public, who have had enough of expenses scandals and MPs’ arrogance. David Cameron will be accused of hypocrisy if he does not sack Maria Miller today.”

He’s right – look at this representative tweet from ‘Amy’: “MP Maria Miller expected to repay thousands in overpaid expenses & make an apology. If she was a benefit claimant she would be jailed.”

Mr Mann’s own article about it can be found here.

If Miller had been arrested and put on crown court trial for fraud (as seems likely, considering the “legalistic” way she tried to defend herself against the Parliamentary commissioner’s inquiries), she could have been imprisoned for up to 10 years. That is what happens to other people. But Parliament looks after its own.

Do you think that is fair?

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18 Comments

  1. carron stick April 3, 2014 at 12:38 pm - Reply

    the same ex minister for the disabled speaking as much crap as ester mcvey when she was happy to have peoples cut off,scum of the highest order.

  2. […] Fraudulent minister gets (metaphorical) slap on the wrist. […]

  3. jaypot2012 April 3, 2014 at 1:20 pm - Reply

    She is a thief, a dirty thief – yet she gets away with it. All hell should break loose and she should be sacked immediately!

  4. jaypot2012 April 3, 2014 at 1:20 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on Jay's Journal and commented:
    A Tory Thief, yet again…

  5. stilloaks April 3, 2014 at 2:01 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on Still Oaks and commented:
    A 34 second apology, wow tese rich crooks got it tough!
    http://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2014/apr/03/maria-miller-expenses-apology-video?CMP=twt_gu

  6. sdbast April 3, 2014 at 2:02 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on sdbast.

  7. pat April 3, 2014 at 2:31 pm - Reply

    it made me feel sick reading this, how can this be allowed to happen, she should be sacked & thrown into a cell. she is nothing but a scumbag thief.

  8. ispy April 3, 2014 at 3:46 pm - Reply

    Yes, there is one law for the rich and another law for the poor. Just the other day I came across the following report which gives another illustration of that very true expression.

    I don’t suppose many people aged over 60 who are also penalised by the welfare cap will have a spare £8,000 in a private pension pot! But if you do, you can make a further £1,500 profit because of a legal loophole – all at taxpayers’ expense:

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2592096/1-500-windfall-60s-thanks-loophole-new-pension-laws.html

    The legal loophole behind this particular “windfall” will not be closed until after April NEXT YEAR – unlike the recently discovered loophole behind the the 1996 bedroom tax issue which was closed very quickly after the Government’s blunder was rumbled!

    Yes, there is one law for the rich…

  9. beastrabban April 3, 2014 at 4:21 pm - Reply

    Reblogged this on Beastrabban’s Weblog.

  10. Thomas M April 3, 2014 at 5:23 pm - Reply

    If I acted like her and stole £5,800, I’d get jailed for it-so should she or anyone who steals stuff.

    • Mike Sivier April 3, 2014 at 7:23 pm - Reply

      She made a million on the house!

      • Malcolm Burt April 3, 2014 at 9:30 pm - Reply

        I cannot comprehend as to what it is about our politicians that seem to think they are above the law because of Parliamentary privileges.This lass not only stole from the public purse over time,but then profited.from that theft when the property was sold.Surely a solid case for the Met to investigate.You would never hear the end of this from the Daily Mail if it was a benefit fraudster,it`s disgusting.

        • Mike Sivier April 3, 2014 at 10:48 pm - Reply

          I was just watching Question Time, on which this was one of the topics. A man working in the private sector and a (possibly former) civil servant both said that if they had been found to have been doing what Maria Miller had done, they would have been sacked.
          Why should she get away with it?

  11. […] Fraudster – and Minister for Equalities – Maria Miller has been ordered to repay £5,800 and apologise to Parliament after …Continue reading →  […]

  12. Jim April 4, 2014 at 3:36 pm - Reply

    We are all in it together – don’t make me laugh – she should resign and hang her head in shame – the boss man thinks he is judge and jury if she is that innocent lets see her go through the legal process — obviously she would be found not guilty.

  13. Joseph Smith April 4, 2014 at 3:38 pm - Reply

    E petition time I think they must learn that it’s us the public who are in charge not scumbag politicians

  14. Joseph Smith April 4, 2014 at 4:33 pm - Reply

    E petition demanding miller gets sacked awaiting approval. Be interesting to if they sideline it or disapprove it on some flimsy pretext or excuse.

    • Terry Cfc Poole April 7, 2014 at 5:12 pm - Reply

      get this scumbag out, in fact get all of the conservative party out, they are nothing but thieves, liars, and have nothing but contempt for the (poor) people of this country,,,,woops ,but if you are a miilionaire you can join their club in parliament.

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