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Cheeky George beats Alex's food ban

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Published Date: 27 June 2009
LOTHIANS Labour MSP George Foulkes has beaten attempts to ban a cheeky question on Alex Salmond's appetite.
The First Minister has been at the centre of controversy over his Westminster expenses after it was revealed he claimed £400 a month for food during the summer 2005 recess, despite spending periods in Scotland rather than London.

Lord Foulkes put forward a written question in parliament, asking "what official engagements the First Minister has planned for July and August 2009 and what arrangements are to be made to ensure he has an adequate food supply". Officials said the reference to food was not permitted under a rule banning "sarcastic or provocative language".

However, they agreed he could ask "whether an estimate has been made of catering costs".

Earlier this month, Scottish Tory leader Annabel Goldie was barred from raising Mr Salmond's food claims at First Minister's Questions.



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1

JulesF,

Kirkliston 27/06/2009 11:24:40
And didn't well all have a laugh, That George is a card.

He'd be better employed asking his Labour collegues to justify their food expenses, and their petty cash expenses, and their shelving expenses, and the list goes on and on !

Note to George, Hole digging in stop when !
2

Grahamski,

Falkirk 27/06/2009 11:25:04
Mr Salmond really needs to apologise and pay back the food allowances he should not have claimed for. His insistence that he was within the rules are sounding evermore hollow and cynical.
3

Grahamski,

Falkirk 27/06/2009 11:27:13
1
The difference is that the other parties have acknowledged that some of their claims have been unjustifiable, apologised and paid back money. Only the SNP have hidden behind 'the rules' and the longer Mr Salmond dodges his responsibility the more damaging it is for him.
4

Nebulous,

Aberdeen 27/06/2009 11:38:39
Except he hasn't hidden behind the rules. He has said he will put them to independent audit and abide by the outcome.

Every party has its problems with expenses- however the electorate are sensible enough to know where the worst abuses lie.
5

Thomas79,

Ayrshire 27/06/2009 11:45:10
LORD george foulkes again.

The same man that said journalists undermine democracy, the man that has cost the taxpayers over £100,000 in asking questions like how much the Scottish Government spent on spacehoppers for St Andrew's Day celebrations and how many ministers have met Sandi Thom.

The same man that had expenses in 2008 of £45000 and his House of Lords expenses of £54000
6

Thomas79,

ayrshire 27/06/2009 11:54:26
lets not forget my favorite Lord Foulkes moment in an interview some time ago, he said

"The SNP are on a very dangerous tack, what they are doing is trying to create a situation in Scotland were the public services are manifestly better south of the border in a number of areas"

The interviewer "Is that a bad thing?"

Lord "NO, but they are doing it deliberately"

Good old Lord Foulkes

LORD "
7

Alan B,

27/06/2009 12:46:16
Foulkes represents alot of what is wrong with labour and westminster.

I remember him on tv long before the expenses scandal broke explaining why the public should not be told of the expenses being claimed and justifying them as mps were being paid too little.

As such Foulkes was on tv saying corruption by mps was ok and to be expected as a price of their salaries being to low. Salaries for minsters in excess of 140G and mps of 65G.
8

Alan B,

27/06/2009 12:50:42
#Grahamski

Your posts get lower and lower in tone by the day. We have had real corruption for labour and to a slightly lesser extent the tories.

So what do labour (and the tories) do try to shift the blame and involve other parties that have not been involved in the real corruption.

It is like the disgraceful comments of brown when he apologised for all parties when he should have been apologising for his own. It was simply about trying to spread the blame.

No matter what party we support and would vote for need to no let labour get away with this type of activity.

You seem to have fallen for it and come across as serverely gullible. Either than or you support the corruption of labour and will look the other way as long it is the party you support that is in the wrong.

9

Jimmy Fae the West,

Hull 27/06/2009 13:20:50
It is not very funny when alternative comedians start to look like mentally impaired has-beens but labour's attempts to attack the SNP on expenses are becoming sick. Mr Foulkes, Lord of the Empire and Barron of the unemployed towns of Patna and Dalmellington has been brain damaged if he thinks Labour are not top of the Sleaze league.

Whilst the Tories in Second place are repaying a massive £250000 in claims, labour still lie that they will sack any MP who cannot justify a claim. Mr Foulkes, if we could trust a word Labour say then your days are numbered. We cannot so we look forward to your sketches from a court jester who moved from sleaze government to failed opposition by choice?
10

Brianwci,

27/06/2009 14:57:45
Your Lordship if you are going to cost the tax payer money by asking written questions do make sure you have the format right.

British Nationalists like yourself are costing the tax payer quite enough as it is.

But in answer to your question the First Minister now has the recently created Ministerial Chippy on hand to follow him wherever he goes so he has as many pork pies and or healthier fish suppers...breaded of course...as his appetite requires.
11

steve 1511,

aberdeen 27/06/2009 15:01:40
foulkes another bloated gibbering eejit of the lybour party who feeds at the trough.

straight jacket for foulkes
12

Linda,

Edinburgh 27/06/2009 17:00:20
Another £100 of taxpayers money wasted by Lord Foulkes.
13

Electric Hermit,

27/06/2009 18:26:54
4
Nebulous

"Except he hasn't hidden behind the rules. He has said he will put them to independent audit and abide by the outcome."

Precisely. Which is exactly what should have happened in all cases. It is called due process. The Tory/BLP MPs who have grovelled and returned money did so only in the hope of avoiding further official and/or public scrutiny. Evidently, First Minister Salmond is not afraid of such scrutiny.

As for "Cheeky George" - what a revolting little man he is. Let the poor creature have his infantile fun. He will surely never hold elected office again.

14

tomias,

Edinburgh 27/06/2009 19:07:32
TRAMS
15

Ifan Har,

Scotland 27/06/2009 19:33:27
Alex is a big boy who naturally has a big hunger, let the lad be!
16

fat lord prodder,

somewhere in alba 27/06/2009 19:55:33
lord george the man who has had more people banned on here as they print the truth about his troughing
i have ye in my sights oh bloated one,now lets start digging to see what we shall find
17

fat lord prodder,

somewhere in alba 27/06/2009 20:02:38
pray lord foulkes under FIA i ask for a breakdown of your £500 odd pounds a day expenses for the lords
how many taxis from airport or railway station
how much in meals and fine brandy?
and which places you eat as im sure the tax payers could all do with the same
before you bring someone down to your level,make sure your squeeky clean first
i await your reply or finding my self banned again
but i will be back,and i will dig more
18

fat lord prodder,

somewhere in alba 27/06/2009 20:06:19
AHA me gut bucket friend,now whats this whats this eh.too drunk in ireland ,making a nest out of patrons coats lol
my my we have been naughty
http://www.edinburghsucks.com/2009/05/27/for-foulkes-sake-lying-drunk-in-the-cloakroom/
19

Marian,

28/06/2009 09:23:20
Just for the record here is a list of Scots New Labour Party Constituency MPs who claimed for the food allowance during part of the summer recess of Parliament, from published listings 18 June 2009.

Alistair Darling 1 Aug 2006 to 31 Aug 2006 £300
Anne Moffat 1 Aug 2007 to 31 Aug 2007 £400
Anne McGuire 1 July 2006 to 31 Sept 2006 £800
Michael Martin 1 Aug 2005 to 31 Oct 2005 £200 pm
Brian Donohoe 16 Aug 2006 to 31 Aug 2006 £200
Jim Devine 1 Aug 2007 to 31 Aug 2007 £ 300
Jim Murphy 1 Aug 2005 to 30 Sept 2005 £600
Jim Murphy 1 Aug 2004 to 31 Aug 2004 £400
Jimmy Hood 1 Aug 2007 to 27 Aug £200
David Cairns 1 Aug 2006 to 30 Sep 2006 £138
Gavin Strang 1 Aug 2006 to 31 Aug 2006 £300
John McFall 1 Aug 2006 to 31 Aug 2006 £100
Rosemary McKenna 1 Jul 2005 to 30 Sep 2005 £400

Some of the MPs above and others also claimed food allowances outwith or inclusive of the above dates. If these New Labour MP's did nothing wrong then we have to assume that the unionists their media acolytes in Scotland don't appear to want to let the facts get in the way of what they think is a good story (or smear in this case) on Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond.
20

Cabbie,

in the canteen 28/06/2009 10:45:26
Who ate all the pies?
I'm afraid Alex ate all the evidence.
21

Hong Kong Fooey,

28/06/2009 15:18:19
Can the labour please explain why the parliament cost nearl half a bnillion pounds when all those years ago they promised to convert the old high sc hool for £40m?
22

alanh,

ek 28/06/2009 15:53:26
why are we having to pay for this cheeky chappie to ask his inane questions?

If you want the answers, george, pay for them yourself cos you'v made enough money from us over the years to be able to afford them

 

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