And people say they're all on the take

[swee'pea99]

This just in from our Danish correspondent (my Sis):

Over here there's a politician called Helle Thorning-Schmidt. She is the leader of the social democrats and at one time was tipped to be Denmarks first woman prime minister. May still happen but less likely.

Anyway, she is married to and has kids by Neil and Glenys Kinnocks son. So, the Kinnocks feature loud and large over here.

The latest goes like this:-

Neil Kinnock was commissioner in EU parliament from 1994 - 2004. Glenys has "served" in EU parliament for the last 15 years. In the 10 years that Neil was in office, they shared a home in Brussels and they both claimed expenses for the same property (sound familiar?) Their comment: "it is in the rules" (sound familiar?).

Between them, they have "earned" £8,000,000+ in salaries and expenses. They claimed £600,00 in expenses alone in 10 years.

And now they are each set to get a pension of £185,000 a year.

Her PS: I just wondered whether this has been reported in the Guardian (or elsewhere) cos there's absolutely NO mention of it in the BBC News service.

Not that I've noticed.

 

[Keith Oates]

Not bad for a couple that have not done a days real work in their lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Dayvo]

There's nothing like true socialists.

And they're nothing like true socialists!

Kunz!

 

[Fnaar]

It was om Daily Mail website yesterday, so not totally unreported...

 

[PaulB]

Good old Neil Kinnock. The warmth he brought to the nation's pensioners kept many of them alive during the coldest winters of the 80s. All they had to do was recall him standing on the stage at the Labour party conference like a rock star and shouting, "Alright. Well alright!!!" and the glow of embarrassment they felt for him rendered their one-bar electric fires unecessary.

 

[Andy in Sig]

Good old Neil Kinnock. The warmth he brought to the nation's pensioners kept many of them alive during the coldest winters of the 80s. All they had to do was recall him standing on the stage at the Labour party conference like a rock star and shouting, "Alright. Well alright!!!" and the glow of embarrassment they felt for him rendered their one-bar electric fires unecessary.

Yep, I can still cringe if I think of that moment. What an empty fool the man revealed himself to be. (I can see this thread getting shifted to P & L BTW.)

 

[Scoosh]

It is widely reported that the general reckoning is that 1 term in the EU Parliament = £1 million.

Not bad for people for whom around 30% of British electorate are bothered to vote.

 

[Crackle]

I always thought Kinnock was alright. He rescued Labour from the militant left and put them back on the road to electability, though I always thought he himself was not electable and I don't recall that moment: Oh hang on yes I do.......and?

 

[very-near]

I always thought Kinnock was alright. He rescued Labour from the militant left and put them back on the road to electability, though I always thought he himself was not electable and I don't recall that moment: Oh hang on yes I do.......and?

Given the shoot state we are now in, did he really do us any favours by putting a veneer of moderation on the lefty tendancies ?

 

[Andy in Sig]

I always thought Kinnock was alright. He rescued Labour from the militant left and put them back on the road to electability, though I always thought he himself was not electable and I don't recall that moment: Oh hang on yes I do.......and?

That's fair enough. I think the point of that moment was that it revealed to the electorate something about the man's personality. It was a view widely held by the pollsters that the Sheffield rally cost Labour the election which was otherwise seen to be in the bag for them.

 

[adscrim]

It's all a bit of a non story though. Would it be the same if it was two MP's claim £60k expenses - or an MP claims £30k expenses. And what over what time was £8m earned and what does it include. They are both senior politicians and have been for some time and while I agree that they appear to be getting over paid, there isn't really a story here - is there?

 

[accountantpete]

To be fair I believe that the Kinnocks are not taking all the money that they are entitled to following their Euro Gravy Train excursion.

To be equally fair - they are a right pair of talentless scrounging to**ers

 

[Andy in Sig]

Take at look at the parallel thread in P & L. There is a bit of detail which might raise your eyebrows.