Now I try not to make a habit of referring to opposition literature on this (or indeed any other) website, as it is usually counterproductive. However, the latest edition of Barbara Keeley MP’s “Constituency News” has just dropped out of my Advertiser and I feel duty-bound to comment.
This edition of “Constituency News” like all previous editions has been paid for by the House of Commons Communications Allowance - so it is taxpayer-funded. This is allowed under the Labour Government’s £10000-per-annum (per MP!) Propaganda Communcations Allowance. I think in this instance I’ll let others be the judge. I’ve scanned part of the front page and reprinted it below. Do you think that this is a) a neutral newsletter that is worthy of taxpayer funding or b) a political leaflet which should be funded by Barbara Keeley MP herself or the Labour Party should they so wish?
The next Conservative Government will of course scrap this gross misuse of public funds. In the meantime, local residents can rest assured that any leaflets they receive from their local Conservatives will not be funded by the taxpayer (or the trade unions) and aren’t costing them a penny.
I distinctly remember a Conservative MP getting in trouble for using his website to promote Edward Timpson when he was running for Crewe. MP’s websites, of course, are funded by the Communications Allowance.
Incidentally, do you think MPs should pay for their own websites too? All the parties use them for propaganda, of course, but their has to be some way for MPs to contact large amounts of their constituents without using party funds. Otherwise what would Independent MPs do?
If MPs want to use their website for anything that is remotely political, then yes absolutely they should pay for it out of their own pocket (or the pocket of their Party). Any taxpayer involvement must be strictly neutral, not pseudo-party-political - neutral colours (the green and beige of the Commons would be fine) and purely factual (contact details, surgery times, etc).
“In the meantime, local residents can rest assured that any leaflets they receive from their local Conservatives will not be funded by the taxpayer (or the trade unions) and aren’t costing them a penny.”
Iain,
Just out of interest then, how exactly do you pay for your leaflets?
Mostly local fundraising (such as events and the Conservative National Draw) and membership subscriptions.
So you can confirm that none of your Councillor’s allowance is used to produce leaflets and the Salford Conservative Party do not have a form of subs collection ie: where a certain amount of your allowance is set aside each month for direct campaigning?
Nice use of the crossing out by the way - a la Chris Paul : )
We make a small annual contribution to the Conservative Group (a completely separate entity - one of those strange quirks that Council groups technically have no legal connection to the Parties themselves) to spend as the Group sees fit - tends to go on coffee and biscuits, room hire, Rememberance Sunday wreaths etc. Is there a large or direct cross-subsidy from Councillors to the Conservative Federation? No.
So conservative MPs dont get this communications alloewance then?
£10,000 per annum communication budget and I cant even get a free stamp,…