And another thing…

I give a tad more than £2K in taxes so you and your colleagues can claim expenses eg for hosting your sites. Do you think it helps the cause of MPs to keep drawing attention to sources of income?

Can you get me a couple of tickets for the RSC’s Hamlet please?

Thanks to the good people at Wordpress, this site costs nothing except my own blood, sweat and tears.

“Over 3 million children have left primary school without mastering the 3Rs under Labour.”

“So what” Ed Balls might say. “Nuts” you seem to say.

I say “We are going to hell in a handcart” if this is all we have to show for all these years of “progressive Labour”. Shame on you.

…and the tickets? C’mon, Jean-Luc and Dr Who on the same stage? I’ll pay for the travel.

It’s tempting, but I think I’ll pass. Patrick Stewart was once outraged when, at the start of the performance of his one-man show of “A Christmas Carol”, a bunch of Trekkers turned up in the audience, all wearing full Starfleet uniform (and no, I was not one of them).

OK, I tried. I’ll carry on being miserable.
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How about dinner and travel?

I’m afraid I just don’t see where the problem lies in this story. As I commented on Recess Monkey, who broke it, it seems while we’re usually upset about politicians who take money and then endorse their sponsors, now we’re upset about someone who is able to accept a donation without it affecting their views or corrupting them. That seems a little tricksy to me.

Gove accepted a donation off somebody when he needed money, and didn’t let that stop him later speaking against them later when he (for whatever reason) felt they needed speaking out against. That’s good! That’s how we want MPs to act! Stop making out he’s somehow corrupt!

I’m certainly not accusing Michael of corruption. At the most, I think this is a bit embarrassing for him, given that he said in his speech: “We should ask those who make profits out of revelling in, or encouraging, selfish irresponsibility among young men what they think they’re doing.”

Well, what some of them are doing is using those profits to make donations to Michael Gove.

Of course, those commenting must know the only reason we know about these donations to Gove is because of reforms to the Register of Interests this year, which were brought about by two Labour MPs campaigning for greater openness – http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/jul/04/conservatives.partyfunding – mustn’t they?

Is this a story we should all get excited about?
After all, £2k for an MP is small change when it comes to expenses and compared to donation from millionaires it’s just chicken feed..

Mind you I do think MPs and Ministers and their Shadows should be careful in their choice of sponsors: after all some might want favours in return… like knighthoods or planning permission or relaxing laws on F1 tobacco sponsordhip etc.

In the scheme of things, it’s just summer tittle tattle – but still hardly well advised..

Pots and kettles is the best summary I can think of.

“Sense of humour failure strikes commentors on minister’s blog – shock!”

Compared to the £3 billion for Northern Rock this week it is in the shade, but of course Labour dont want to talk about real issues

It is remarkable that even when all you’re doing is teasing the Tories about a cock-up, they really can’t handle it.

I think Stu has a valid point. Here we have a politician who HASN’T been corrupted by donations, and we are still complaining.