"Why on earth am I bothering to pay back the money? That's actually the view which has come back from a large number of people I have been in contact with.
"I do wonder to a certain extent whether, in some hysterical atmosphere in Westminster during the week, possibly I over-reacted to the situation.
"Speaking to some of the Lib Dem MPs in particular who have paid some sums of money for relatively small items, I do wonder if some of us have been as it were taken along in a situation where maybe we shouldn't.
"Having said that, I've said I'll pay it back, I will pay it back, because I actually accept at the end of the day the fundamental principle that MPs shouldn't actually benefit from property they have acquired."
Now come on Mark you're meant to have a calm head when dealing with expenses. Both in making claims and in paying overpayment claims back. Flipping on the designation of homes is one thing but flipping on the decision of waht you decided to do and so often in four paragraphs is something else. But at least you argued yourself round in enough circles there to come to the conclusion that not benefiting from property is the thing an MP should do.
So, Stephen, what's your/the Lib Dems' position on the profits Tavish Scott, Nicol Stephen, Ross Finnie and Jamie Stone stand to make on taxpayer-funded properties in Edinburgh?
ReplyDeleteStephen, I read this post before reading your earlier one, thus my question about your own position isn't pertinent, and of course you did in fact echo my own question on the official Lib Dem position.
ReplyDeleteNo probs Stuart glad I managed to pre-emptively answer your question.
ReplyDelete