Blears behaviour 'unacceptable'

Yakub Qureshi

May 19, 2009

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BLEARS - under pressure

GORDON Brown has accused communities secretary Hazel Blears of 'unacceptable behaviour'.

The Prime Minister made the unprecedented comments about the cabinet minister as he attacked a 'gentleman's club' culture at Westminster and promised to overhaul the allowance system for MPs.

MP's expenses latest

The Salford MP was drawn into the parliamentary expenses row after it emerged she failed to pay £13,000 of capital gains tax on the sale of a London flat.

Although Ms Blears argued she was legitimately exempt from paying tax on the £45,000 profit, she earlier this month agreed to write a cheque to the Inland Revenue to reflect public anger over the issue.

But when asked about the Salford MP's case, the Prime Minister said: “It was totally unacceptable behaviour, I don't support it.”

He would not say whether Ms Blears would be forced to stand down. The PM has been widely tipped to announce a reshuffle of cabinet following the June 4 European elections.

Mr Brown said he had told the Westminster meeting that the Commons could no longer operate as a “gentlemen's club” and must move to a system of outside regulation.

Mr Brown, speaking at a No 10 news conference, said an independent outside body would need to take over the Commons Fees Office and operate a new allowances system.

He said the Government would make legislative time available for the new arrangements to be put on a statutory footing.

MP's expenses latest

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Esso Blue, Manchester. (19/05/2009 at 19:12)

I would like to see Gordon Brown start to kick some A*$e

Angelene19, Manchester (19/05/2009 at 19:20)

Can this man only go as far as saying avoiding capital gains tax is "unacceptable" ? I call it bloody criminal ! Boot her out good people of Salford in May 2010 because the coward we call a Prime Minster won't !

Esso Blue, Manchester. (19/05/2009 at 19:22)

starting with the Conservatives. Please.

JTC Formerley JimC (19/05/2009 at 19:41)

Mr Brown said he had told the Westminster meeting that the Commons could no longer operate as a “gentlemen's club” and must move to a system of outside regulation.

Why is that then, i'll tell you why because it has been acting as Fagans Lair for the past 12 years thats why. Time for brown to go and take his wooden tops with him.

bobbyc, Manchester (19/05/2009 at 19:45)

Saying sorry and offering to repay the money isnt enough.Hazel Blears should resign ,along with
Margaret Beckett,and a host of others of all political persuasions.These people ,who have the audacity to call themselves "Honourable Members",have tainted the Parliamentary system.Anyone else would have been brought to law if they had tried to defraud the system.Hopefully the Salford electorate will boot Blears out at the next election .

Guten Tag, Manchester (19/05/2009 at 19:52)

Just announced, MPs will only be able to claim mortgage repayments up to £1250 a month under reforms to the system of expenses. Why allow them to claim anything whatsoever for their mortgages? They have a salary, use that!

Bejjy ex Salford now Malta, Malta (19/05/2009 at 20:03)

I think that the party is over for you Blears and that you are about to be kicked off the gravy train that you have been freely riding for far too long. You will be thrown out of the cabinet next month and kicked out of Salford whenever the next general election is held. I just hope that you are psychologically strong enough to cope with the humiliation and disgrace that you have brought upon yourself.

Andanotherthing, Mcr (19/05/2009 at 20:14)

Hang on a mo Gordon. You gave these leeces a comfortable seat in the first place. If I submitted a change of address as often as my underwear to the boss I am sure he smell something fishy..........Behave posters

Ran Droid, Manchester (19/05/2009 at 20:30)

What does anyone expect? Labour is a semi-socialist party, and political history has consistently shown us that socialists are just as greedy and venal as anyone else, they just lie about it.

That the party that likes to browbeat people for legally avoiding tax, has people who like to legally avoid tax, shouldn't be a shock - Chipmunk Blears is just another typical "does as I say not as I do" type.

Dave Sherwood, Irlam (19/05/2009 at 20:57)

I dont know about Gentlemans club,more like a Scots Politicians club.majority if top jobs are held by Scots.

blueboy (19/05/2009 at 21:02)

Gordon Brown has nothing to lose what so ever between now and the next general election so he might as well go back to his roots and start kicking people out and give the people what they want and give himself a glimmer of hope

Frequent Flyer, Altrincham (19/05/2009 at 21:03)

Blear's behaviour 'unacceptable' - AND SO SAY ALL OF US - MORE TO THE POINT - HAZEL BLEARS IS UNACCEPTABLE !!

Angry Mike, Middleton (19/05/2009 at 21:04)

thick as thieves, if he really disapproved of her behaviour she'd have been sacked. it's another case of Gordie talking the talk, but not walking the walk.

P45 in the post Blears should have been his speech today.

David Hibbert (19/05/2009 at 21:08)

Angeline is clearly unaware of what can be said in public. At last we have a politician speaking with authority. Unlike the Tory and Liberal 'empty vessels' who make a lot of noise but not much practical sense.

H. M'CRed, Worsley (19/05/2009 at 21:10)

What she did may have been "within the rules", however, everybody appears to accept that it was Immoral if not dishonest. (including Ms Blears herself it would appear!)

Given that these very people are elected to represnt us, to be beyond reproach and to lead by example, surely it is time for those who have abused the system to step aside gracefully having returned monies owed.

As an aside. Given that the Inland Revenue are not technically owed any monies by Ms Blears, what are they going to do with her cheque? Will it remain in a credit account for the benefit of Ms Blears come the end of the next tax year when all may have forgotten about this little indiscretion!? Just a thought.

RT, UK (19/05/2009 at 21:15)

Lets hope Hazel Blears is deselected. She fully rode the gravy train to the limit.

She has turned herself into a national joke. Watch or listen to any political satire.

Does Salford deserve that?

Rick Jenks, Bury (19/05/2009 at 21:18)

This woman is a disgrace and the man leading the Labour buffoons should sack her now! The people of this country deserve better and need MPs who are fit to hold office and act responsibly. The Labour Party has been tainted by several North West Labour MPs who should be rid of immediately. They can go now with that wretched Martin.

Camosquad, manchester (19/05/2009 at 21:37)

Let's not underestimate the signal being sent to Hazel Blears by Gordon Brown. However mild the comments seem - it is a clear signal from him that she has to go. Only Ms Blears self-belief and arrogance now stand in the way from a public apology and resignation. Let's hope she can swallow her pride and see the futility of clinging to the cliff edge by her fingernails. Salford needs a new MP at the earliest opportunity.

Doobydoo, Worsley (19/05/2009 at 21:55)

I still don't understand how Ms Blears can pay money to HMRC that she does not owe?
If she did nothing wrong and submitted correct tax return etc then she does not owe the money. Any money she pays to HMRC will put her in credit and therefore the amount will at some point in the future be paid back to her OR is she now saying that she committed tax evasion???

Big Stu, Salford (19/05/2009 at 22:09)

As a resident of Salford, Ms Bleairs (Not to sure why she is Ms) will not be getting my vote in the next election, and I am still now wondering who to vote for on the 4th June. Who can you trust ??

Wes Brown (19/05/2009 at 22:28)

Hmm! Well who is next for the chop? At least she won't have to worry about loosing laptops or USB pen drives now :-))

minority report, Manchester (19/05/2009 at 23:32)

How can Hazel Blears pay back Capital Gains tax if she does not owe it? Either the tax is owed to HMRC or it is not. Surely, the only way HMRC would accept the payment is if she originally told them she was not liable for it, but is now telling them different?

FrostySnowman (20/05/2009 at 05:37)

Hardly likely to say he does support it. An inept, ineffective and unelected Prime Minister, soon to be an ex-PM. As for Ms. Blears.........

Barney Gumball LLB Hons (20/05/2009 at 06:27)

No looking so smug now are you...?

Technobabble, Manchester (20/05/2009 at 07:31)

So Ms. Blears has had to pay back £13,000. This begs a further question: exactly how much money has our MP got stashed away? Because if i had to pay back the taxman a mere £13 HUNDRED i'd be seriously out of pocket.

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