(2009) Liberal Democrat M.P. Menzies Campbell

Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader, spent £10,000 of taxpayers' money hiring an interior designer to renovate his small London flat.

The makeover included a flatscreen TV, a king-size bed and scatter cushions for his second home in Dolphin Square near Westminster.

Sir Menzies, once known as 'moral Ming' for his old-school rectitude, justified the large raid on the public purse on the basis that he had not used up his second homes allowance in previous years.

Read on

(2009) Liberla Democrat Leader Nick Clegg

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has revealed he claimed more than £7,000 on expenses to renovate his constituency home.

He used the cash to pay for carpets, curtains, light fittings, garden maintenance and plastering work.

He also received over £12,000 for his mortgage on the property in Sheffield, nearly £1,700 for his council tax and £600 for his telephone bill.

MPs can claim up to £23,000 a year on expenses for costs associated with running a second home.

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(2009) Lib-Lab-Con-men Investigated by Scotland Yard

A small number of MPs and peers will face criminal investigations into allegations they misused their expenses.

Scotland Yard said a joint assessment panel of senior detectives and prosecutors had decided full inquiries were necessary.

The police inquiries were expected to focus on politicians accused of deliberately misleading the authorities or claiming "phantom mortgages".

The investigation will be conducted by officers from the Met's Economic and Specialist Crime Command, overseen by Temporary Assistant Commissioner Janet Williams. It is understood the joint panel of experts will continue to consider a small number of other individuals.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "After consideration by the joint Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service assessment panel the Met has decided to launch an investigation into the alleged misuse of expenses by a small number of MPs and peers."

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(2009) Liberal Democrat M.P. Charles Kennedy -PARASITE

The former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Charles Kennedy, charged taxpayers for three boxes of mints and two teddy bears bought from the gift shop at the House of Commons.

Mr Kennedy submitted the £35.75 bill for the items, which paperwork suggested were to be used as "prizes", under the Incidental Expenses Provision (IEP) which is meant to cover MPs' office costs.

The Commons Fees Office paid up for the three boxes of "dark chocolate mints" at £5.95 each and the two "toffee bears" at £8.95.

Mr Kennedy said on Saturday night that the claim had been an "error" – and that the money had been repaid earlier this month.

He said he received regular requests for such charitable donations. "These I meet from my own pocket and am happy to do so," he added.

Mr Kennedy, the MP for the seat of Ross, Skye and Lochaber, also attempted to use his taxpayer-funded office costs allowance for Remembrance Sunday poppy wreaths.

He successfully claimed £18 for a poppy wreath in November 2006 – but an attempt to claim £49 for wreaths a year later was disallowed.

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(2009) Liberal Democrat M.P. Malcolm Bruce

A senior Liberal Democrat MP claimed for thousands of pounds towards the running of both his London flat and his constituency home, his expenses reveal.

Malcolm Bruce, the president of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, was able to make the claims because his wife Rosemary works as his office manager and diary secretary from their main home on Deeside, north-east Scotland.

Normally MPs can only claim expenses for household bills at their second homes, and must pay their own way at their main residence.

However, because Mr Bruce told the Commons fees office that his wife was working from home, he was able to claim for his household bills in Scotland under the Incidental Expenditure Provision (IEP), which is intended to cover office costs.

Between April, 2006, and March, 2008, he was paid a total of nearly £3,100 towards the cost of electricity, heating and cleaning at his main home in the village of Torphins, just outside his constituency of Gordon. From 2005 to 2008, he received a total of £61,186 from the additional costs allowance (ACA) for his second home in London.

The Torphins claim was made despite Mr Bruce having a constituency office in Inverurie, about a 30-minute drive away, also funded by the taxpayer. The ACA claim included regular monthly spending of more than £300 on food, close to the maximum of £400. In one month, August, 2005, he successfully claimed £451 for food.

(2009) Liberal Democract M.P. Andrew George -PARASITE

Andrew George, a Liberal Democrat MP, is facing questions about his parliamentary expenses claims for a £300,000 London flat used by his student daughter while several of his party colleagues are under similar scrutiny.

Andrew George, the MP for St Ives, claims £847 a month from taxpayers on mortgage interest payments for the riverside flat.

But the home insurance policy included on his expenses file is in the name of his 21-year-old daughter, Morvah George, a student who has worked as a professional model and as an intern for her father in Parliament.

Last night, Mr George admitted his daughter kept some of her belongings there and used it as a “bolt-hole” but denied she spent more time there than him. He said his insurers had prevented him from being named on the policy as well as on one at his Cornish home.

Mr George’s claims reveal how MPs are able to use the system to buy properties from which their families can benefit.

The disclosures come on the sixth day of The Daily Telegraph’s investigation into MPs’ expenses, which shows that Liberal Democrats have made claims just as questionable as their Labour and Conservative counterparts. Files seen by this newspaper show:

Nick Clegg, the party leader, claimed the maximum possible on his second home allowance and exceeded his budget by more than £100 at the same time as he was calling for the reform of the system. He has now promised to repay a phone bill that included calls to Colombia and Vietnam.

Sir Menzies Campbell, the former leader, hired an interior designer to refurbish his flat in central London, spending nearly £10,000 of taxpayers’ money on scatter cushions, a king-sized bed and a flat screen television.

Read on: http://tinyurl.com/r27zec

(2009) Liberal Democrat Former Mayor Bernard McCartin -THIEF

FORMER mayor of Horwich Bernard McCartin broke down in tears as he admitted to a court he was a benefits cheat.

The 66-year-old told magistrates he had defrauded more than £18,000 from the public purse.

McCartin claimed he suffered from crippling back pain and that he could walk no further than 25 yards without a stick.

But he was exposed as a liar when investigators from the Department of Work and Pensions caught him on film.

On this link you can also view a video of your Enemy in action:

http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/news/4102084.Former_mayor_was_benefits_cheat/

(2008) Liberal Democrat Cllr. Ayoub Khan

A Lib Dem councillor at the centre of an illegal votes scandal could face a police investigation.

Labour officials slammed Cllr Ayoub Khan, who romped to victory in last week's local elections, and called for immediate action.

They said Mr Khan, who won in Aston, Birmingham, and his campaign team have serious questions to answer over the vote rigging allegations exposed by the Daily Mirror.

http://tinyurl.com/cvsu3s

(2008) Liberal Democrat Candidate Clive Parsons -BENEFIT FRAUD

A former council candidate who falsely claimed almost £50,000 in benefits has been jailed for one year. 

Clive Parsons, 64, of Cotswold Close, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate for Wyre Forest District Council in April 2007. 

He admitted falsely claiming benefits between 2002 and 2007.

In 1996 he was sentenced to 15 months’ jail, suspended for two years, for obtaining property by deception. 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/7797442.stm 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7797756.stm

(2009) Liberal Democrat Cllr. Prince Sadik Chaudhury

A borough councillor has appeared in court in Northampton, charged with the assault of a former council colleague and community leader.
Prince Sadik Chaudhury, aged 36, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Thorplands, appeared at Northampton Magistrates' Court yesterday, accused of assaulting Yousuf Miah, a former Conservative councillor who is the chairman of the Northampton Bangladeshi Association.

http://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/Councillor-in-court-to-face.4932959.jp 

(2009) Liberal Democrat Cllr. Adrian Heath

A FORMER West Lindsey councillor and Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate appeared in court on Thursday, to deny a charge of sexual assault.

Dr Adrian Heath, a dentist, is alleged to have touched a woman's breasts during an incident on 13th August last year.

http://tinyurl.com/d53ydy 

Liberal Democrat Cheif Whip Paul Burstow

Chief whip Paul Burstow used pre-paid Commons envelopes to send the material attacking a Tory rival to voters in his Sutton and Cheam constituency. But Standards Commissioner John Lyon said the pre-paid service was not meant for party political campaigning. 

http://www.libdemvoice.org/lib-dem-chief-whip-broke-parliamentary-rules-3009.html

 

(2009) Liberal Democrat Cllr Julian Brazil

SOUTH Hams councillor Julian Brazil has been found guilty of bullying a council officer and breaching the national code of conduct.

Members of a standards board met at Follaton House to debate accusations that Coun Brazil was aggressive and threatening last June towards benefits fraud investigators attending Frogmore Bakery in Kingsbridge.

Read on

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Information received (thanks J.L.):

THE man hoping to be the next Liberal Democrat MP for Totnes has been suspended from working as a South Hams councillor for the next three months for bullying a council officer.

Julian Brazil has also been ordered to write a 'grovelling' letter of apology to the woman social security investigator he bullied and to undergo a course of training in the local government code of conduct which he breached.

Read on

____________________________________________

Apparently, the following text was posted on and subsequently removed from the newspaper disclosing the crime:

"Fraud and bullying is okay then?

In response to Cllr Brazils comments I find it very difficult to see how he is helping his local community by supporting someone who is allegedly stealing from the public purse, because that is what benefit fraud is. That money is the community's money, the very community that this man is supposed to support. Was he using his position to lean on local council investigators to try and stop them doing their duty? Why would he do that? I suppose it's possible in such a small community that he might have known the accused.

Either way the council staff were just doing their job, use of bullying behaviour is unacceptable. We will not accept it in the play ground, we will not accept it in the workplace, and we certainly should not expect it from our politicians.

The fact is he has been found guilty by an independent board; a positive step by him would be to accept this and do something about it, rather than try and blame everyone else. Its seems our politicians are quite good at blaming everyone else for their inappropriate actions at the moment.

Cllr Brazils desperate cries of 'not fair' are characteristic traits of a bully. Bullies never learn to accept responsibility for their behaviour, or to recognise the effect of their behaviour on others. Perhaps the standards board should send him on a bullying behaviour familiarisation course as a positive first step."

Paul Young, Kingsbridge

(2009) Liberal Democrat Cllr. Daniel Martin

A Dorset councillor has appeared in court to deny benefit fraud.

Councillor Daniel Martin, a Lib Dem member of Poole Borough Council, is accused of using false representation to obtain Job Seeker's Allowance.

Mr Martin, of Kingcup Close, Broadstone, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court to enter the plea.

The councillor, who was elected in May 2007, was released on unconditional bail. The case was moved to Dorchester Crown Court for a date yet to be set.

The charge relates to a period before Mr Martin was elected

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/3790338.Councillor_on_benefit_fraud_charge/

(2008) Liberal Democrat Simon McDougall -DRINK DRIVER

A leading councillor has urged others to avoid repeating his mistake and becoming a convicted drink driver.

Cllr Simon McDougall, who is a member of Bersted, Bognor, Arun and West Sussex councils, said he deeply embarrassed by the actions which caused him to break the law. 

http://tinyurl.com/8tcehg 

(2008) Liberal Democrat Cllr. Mike Story

FORMER city council leader Cllr Mike Storey has been found guilty of a breach of the members’ code of conduct by the Standards Board for England.

He was found to have breached the code by divulging confidential information about the ill health of former Culture Company boss Jason Harborow.

It followed a meeting on November 18, 2007, between Cllr Storey, current leader Cllr Warren Bradley and former events manager Lee Forde in which it was alleged there had been a conspiracy to oust Mr Harborow from his job.

http://tinyurl.com/3wzdgd

(2008) Liberal Democrat Cllr. Steve Hurst

A LEADING Liverpool councillor delivered “disgraceful” leaflets in a bungled attempt to smear political rivals, a judge ruled yesterday.

Cllr Steve Hurst, the council’s executive member for corporate performance, was found guilty of breaching election law.

Last night Cllr Hurst, a firefighter, was facing calls that he stand down from his position on the council’s ruling executive board and as representative for Liverpool’s Wavertree ward.

He delivered a leaflet titled “Walton Scab” attacking sitting Labour councillor Pauline Walton and her firefighter husband Keith.

Sentencing, District Judge Richard Clancy said he had “no doubt” Cllr Hurst pushed the flier through letterboxes in Liverpool’s Woodlands Estate in the run-up to local elections in May, 2007.

http://tinyurl.com/6ypy2s

(2008) Liberal Democrat Cllr. Adrian Sanders

BAY MP Adrian Sanders launched a 'shocking and unacceptable' 'violent assault' on fellow Liberal Democrat Mark Littlewood, according to eyewitnesses found by the Herald Express. Mr Sanders is said to have gone for the former Lib Dem press chief's throat in Monday's incident, which hit national headlines at the party's annual conference in Bournemouth. A Lib Dem spokesman told the Herald Express that Mr Sanders 'pushed' Mr Littlewood, who then fell over a small wall. The incident was widely reported as 'a kerfuffle'. Lib Dem officials also issued a brief statement, confirming Mr Sanders had offered a full apology to Mr Littlewood. 

http://tinyurl.com/6bsqau

Liberal Democrat Clrr. Morris Lightfoot

THE political career of a North Yorkshire county councillor is over after he tried to have sex with a 13-year-old girl.

Morris Lightfoot continued his perverted online chats with “Tina” despite one chatroom barring him, said Nick Worsley, prosecuting at York Crown Court.

But instead of the 13-year-old girl he believed her to be, “Tina” was Tony Graves, the adult male moderator of chatroom “Zorbie”, who set a trap for the former Harrogate deputy mayor and current county councillor.

“It seems to me that if it hadn’t been for the very responsible activity of Mr Graves, proprietor of this site, you may have got in touch with a real 13-year-old and that may have led to serious sexual offending on your part,” Judge Peter Benson told Lightfoot.

He jailed the 56-year-old sex offender for eight months. The sentence means that Lightfoot will automatically lose his position as county councillor and Harrogate borough councillor in 28 days’ time.

http://tinyurl.com/6mmvka  

http://tinyurl.com/6b4bvg 

 

Liberal Democrat Cllr. Denis Whittle

(2008) A COUNCILLOR is being investigated over allegations that he showed pornographic images to a policewoman. Denis Whittle is due to meet Rochdale council chief executive Roger Ellis with his political future hanging in the balance. A female officer made a complaint after going to Cllr. Whittle's home last month to discuss reports of repeated anti-social behaviour in the area. http://tinyurl.com/55lb9s