UK police seek return of Lib Dem donor

UK police are likely to seek the return of multi-millionaire fraudster and Liberal Democrat donor Michael Brown, who is being held in the Dominican Republic after years on the run.

He is wanted in Britain to serve a seven-year prison sentence imposed in his absence after he was convicted of fraud at Southwark Crown Court in 2008.

An international manhunt was launched when Brown fled after stealing nearly STG8 million ($A12.17 million) from the former chairman of Manchester United.

He secretly used investors' money to fund the record donation to the Lib Dems' 2005 election war chest and also blew a large slice of his ill-gotten gains on an "extravagant" lifestyle.

A Lib Dem spokesman said: "The Electoral Commission inquiry in 2009 found that the party accepted the donation in good faith, and were in no way at fault.

"It cleared the party of all wrongdoing and accepted that at the time of the donation, Michael Brown was a permitted donor.

Michael Dugher, Labour MP for Barnsley East, said the money Brown donated should be paid back.

He said: "The Lib Dems took a massive donation from this man - he should pay the money back out of decency. Michael Brown's victims want their money back, and the Lib Dems have 2.4 million of it.

"Nick Clegg likes to talk about the need to clean up politics, so the arrest of the Lib Dems' biggest donor gives him an opportunity to put this dodgy money where his mouth is."

http://news.msn.co.nz/worldnews/8399847/uk-police-seek-return-of-lib-dem-donor

So I wonder if the FL will say the same about the money that Pompey got from CSI ?

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It's seriously time to do state funding of political parties.

It's seriously time to do state funding of political parties.

Hmmmm.

Not the best use of our hard earned taxes is it?

We already pay :

1. Their lucrative salaries.

2. Their lucrative expenses.

3. Their lucrative pension schemes.

Perhaps it's time they became 'self funded'?

Hmmmm.

 

Not the best use of our hard earned taxes is it?

 

We already pay :

 

1. Their lucrative salaries.

2. Their lucrative expenses.

3. Their lucrative pension schemes.

 

Perhaps it's time they became 'self funded'?

Their salaries aren't that lucrative. MPs are reasonably cheap and we need someone to do the job and tbh I'd rather money came from an independent source distributed fairly and equally rather than labour just being unions, and the other parties individuals who may use their financial might to influence policy.

What do you mean by self funded... they pay their own way? So only the rich can become MPs?

Either way, there is a problem of party funding in this country now membership is down dramatically. Everyone would be the first to moan if a party like the conservatives or labour went bankrupt. It'd be disastrous for our democracy. Likewise, they also moan that individuals like Ashcroft donate so much. And also, it would correct financial discrepancies in elections. The conservatives had a disproportionate amount of money last election

- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11901914

Hmmmm.

 

Not the best use of our hard earned taxes is it?

 

We already pay :

 

1. Their lucrative salaries.

2. Their lucrative expenses.

3. Their lucrative pension schemes.

 

Perhaps it's time they became 'self funded'?

Yep good idea. Let's ensure that the House of Commons consists solely of wealthy individuals who will truly represent the people of this country.

Not.

Yep good idea. Let's ensure that the House of Commons consists solely of wealthy individuals who will truly represent the people of this country.

 

Not.

The AVERAGE salary for an MP is over £65k per annum : http://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/members/pay-mps/

That hardly puts them in a salary bracket that is in touch with the average man on the street!

I would go so far as to say that a salary of £65k + lucrative expenses, puts MPs in the 'wealthy individual' category as it is

For the amount of work they are expected to do and the job they are in and the responsibility they hold, 65k isn't much.

So how much of their salary should they give up to their political party each year?

The AVERAGE salary for an MP is over £65k per annum : http://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/members/pay-mps/

 

That hardly puts them in a salary bracket that is in touch with the average man on the street!

 

I would go so far as to say that a salary of £65k + lucrative expenses, puts MPs in the 'wealthy individual' category as it is

So what are you suggesting, exactly? That MPs shouldn't be paid, or if they are their parties should pay them? Or that they should donate part of their salary to the party they represent?

In either scenario, minority parties wouldn't have any chance of representation, would they? And, like them or not, in a democracy they have the right to be heard.

"Responsibilty" by this I take it you mean doing what their Party tells them to do and if it is against

what their voters want then tough luck voters.

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"Responsibilty" by this I take it you mean doing what their Party tells them to do and if it is against

what their voters want then tough luck voters.

 

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Our system, like it or loathe it, is not one where MPs have to listen and vote with their constituents immediate wants or interests. MPs are elected to a party who has a manifesto and they then put through that manifesto regardless of what their constituents think at the time. They are there to use their supposed intellect to judge what is best in the national interest, sometimes they might wish to listen to their constituents, but they are by no means meant to. That's the democracy we have, a trustee based one.

And creating, scrutinising and passing laws that this country is governed under as well as holding sovereignty with the UK is a position of responsibility.