When Hazel Blears did that `I can nearly turn the tears on…and I'm really, really sorry' blatantly calculated tv interview, she ended by sighing that she didn't want to resign from the Cabinet "cowed on the basis of expense claims which genuinely are not true". Hmmm…
Dead right Hazel – your expense claims are even worse than we first thought, and make shocking reading for everyone to now see for themselves. Hazel's put all the claims up on her website – the juicy bits heavily blanked out – but they are there and the truth can now be revealed…
Over four years (from 2004 to 2008) Hazel claimed £9620 on food alone – including £200 in August 2004, £200 in August 2005 and £250 in August 2006, when Parliament (and no doubt Hazel) is officially on holidays.
Over the same period (2004-2008) a total of £51,523 was spent on mortgage payments (and a bit on hotels) for various homes. Interestingly the mortgage interest payments begin at £300 a month in 2004…then rise to £800…then £1080…and end in 2008 at a whopping £1287 as Hazel climbs the property ladder. And her cleaning bill rises from £380 a year in 2004/5 to £1400 in 2007/8.
Hazel also claimed £8378 on furniture in the years 2004-2006, including £651 on that mattress; tellies and videos worth £1763.95, and £217 on towels. She also spent £595 on a glass `console table' and £275 on another `oxygen console' table for her "small one bedroom flat" and a further £60.40 on a dozen lovely wine glasses (why can't she get freebies from the petrol station like everyone else?). There's also £295 spent on a mirror and £59 on some scales (must be all that food)…
In summer 2006 Hazel tarted up her office to the tune of £4298.91, which included two Enigma chairs with `Multifunction Arms', a snip at £688.44, and a two seater chair for £329.41.
Hazel also claimed a total of £1086.88 over two years for payments to Fisher Chartered Accountants for her personal Self Assessment Tax Returns.
And all this without even mentioning the non payment of Capital Gains Tax.
OK, there's no duck houses or moats, but, hey, this is Salford and people will be appalled…
Updated 15th October 2009 here
See all the expenses claims here and then...
See Hazel Expenses Part 1 here
See Hazel Expenses Part 2 here
Join the Hazel Must Go! Demonstration outside Salford Civic Centre in Swinton 6pm this Thursday 18th June, or sign the Hazel Must Go! Petition on Salford Precinct Thursday 18th June 10am-12noon (near Tescos) or put your name to the Campaign by e-mailing blearsmustgo@gmail.com
see the campaign letter here too
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