Peter Hain tops local league of MP expenses claims

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Friday, December 11, 2009
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This is SouthWales

THE latest details of second home claims made by South Wales's MPs were published at Westminster yesterday.

The documents released online mainly covered the period before May this year, when a national newspaper published details of previous claims that sparked public outrage.

Among the highest local claimers in the last financial year was Neath MP and Welsh Secretary Peter Hain, who claimed £22,175 last year.

He spent thousands of pounds on heating oil for his constituency home, as well as £125 for servicing and repair of his Aga. Mr Hain's claims also included occasional window cleaning bills, and £28 to fell two dangerous trees.

A spokesman for Mr Hain said: "These matters were all properly receipted."

Aberavon MP Hywel Francis claimed the maximum allowance of £24,006 to run a second home in Westminster.

Dr Francis's mortgage interest payments were £1,262 a month, and he also made a claim of £835 for repair work carried out in his bathroom.

All of the claims were made within existing Commons rules.

Llanelli MP Nia Griffith made regular claims of about £900 for the mortgage on her London home.

Swansea East MP Sian James claimed £18,063. Typical claims included £1,200 in rent.

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Adam Price claimed a total of £16,609, including mortgage interest on his London property.

Mr Price said: "Embarrassing and painful as this year has been for politics and politicians, I think it's been a necessary lancing of the boil."

Gower MP Martin Caton claimed £8,404 last financial year, while Swansea West MP Alan Williams claimed only £5,074.

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  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Matt, Neath

    Thursday, December 17 2009, 4:31PM

    “The BNP reminds me of Billy-No-Mates!

    But can you blame us?

    It is an organisation made up of the kind of people our parents warned us about.

    Guys in Enoch Powell Tshirts , campfire singers of SS drinking songs, blokes who think the Holocaust is outrageously funny and oddballs who think wearing a golliwog badge is a subversive act of rebellion.

    Er, no fellows! It all adds up for me as a weird collection of... how can I put it...dangerous and weird misfits!”

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    by Linda, Neath

    Wednesday, December 16 2009, 11:18PM

    “Dear Doug,
    As you seem intent on singling out my posts to reply to I wish to set the record straight. I am not a member of any political party. Are you ? I speak what I feel regardless of who else says what. I am not a racist and I am not a fascist, far from it. The only people I name here are those in office who appear to do nothing to alleviate the plight of the people of Wales with regard to gainful employment. I made no mention of the BNP in my last post and did not refer to them in even one word so I would be grateful if you could explain your rash statement that I came perilously close to defending the BNP, a party I have never had anything to do with. This time I would be grateful if you single me out just one more time to answer your scurrilous accusations.”

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    by Dai, neath valley

    Wednesday, December 16 2009, 8:30PM

    “SEARCHLIGHT
    A word about 'Searchlight'.

    This little magazine clearly irritates and maddens BNP activists ...and for good reason.

    It has been tracking Britain's home grown fascists for several decades .

    It acts as a kind of 'remembrancer'.

    It has collected photographs , speeches, articles and all kinds of information and brought this stuff into the public domain.Several former fascists have also given Searchlight first hand information about the inside workings of the BNP.

    This has made the BNP leadership incandescent with rage.

    In a similar way the Unite Against Fascism organisation has also shadowed the BNP and challenged it wherever possible.So for example when the BNP held its 'race fest' in Codnor back in August and its racist and drunken members were singing their SS songs and telling their racist jokes on camera thousands of UAF supporters were outside blocking the entrance while Searchlight moles were inside outwitting the huge security guards and collecting information .

    The BNP tries hard to present an image of respectability [shiny suits and all] but just below the surface are those olD National Front thugs....or as Griffin himself wrote in a secret document leaked to Searchlight the same old collection of ' cranks, oddballs and misfits'.”

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    by Doug, aberavon

    Wednesday, December 16 2009, 8:13PM

    “To Linda
    You have come perilously close to defending the BNP.

    A number of postings on this site have made clear its fascist history going back to the violent National Front .

    There are many things wrong with our society and New Labour's collapse into neo liberalism has been a disaster for working class communities.

    However, the BNP's fascism is a dead end...It is a party based on hatred and bigotry and has racism and anti semitism at its core.It is also opposed to democracy and would smash all kinds of democratic organisations .Incidentally Griffin has nothing but contempt for the environmental movement and thinks that our climate problems are a nonsense.
    We should be clear about the BNP . =FASCISTS”

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    by Billy, Swansea

    Wednesday, December 16 2009, 8:01PM

    “Once again the BNP no-marks produce no valid arguments for why normal folk should even entertain considering voting for them.

    Narrow minded, old little racists. The World has changed little people, embrace it or move on.

    Your pathetic little minds make me laugh and make me relieved I am nothing like you you.”

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    by Meirion, Llandybie

    Wednesday, December 16 2009, 6:06PM

    “Doug and a number of others useful idiots that are using this thread as a playground.
    Get real.
    Who has dragged this once great country of ours to the gutter.
    Throw away your Searchlight and UAF guide books, put your toys back in the pram and if you are not blind open your eyes to the diseased society that those in power has inflicted upon you.
    Lets get a fit and proper debate on here for god's sake. The crooks that this article about is having a laugh here.”

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    by Medusa, Swansea

    Wednesday, December 16 2009, 5:51PM

    “swan anon, anon; my mind is far from being "small", hence my ability to decipher fact from fiction! Why are you insistant on speaking for others. You might have an opinion but don't presume others share it. NO doubting the fact that you're a hyocritical Christian...say no more.

    Tony, Neath; you mention Plaid Cymru, yet you insist that the BNP are racist....are you serious? Do you know what you are talking about? Fool.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Linda, Neath

    Wednesday, December 16 2009, 5:29PM

    “I believe that every one here has a right to be heard and so my quote is quite valid Doug. Also my concern is with the 8.8% unemployed in Wales and 7.9% overall in the UK. This is nearly 1 in 10 people even after the 16-18 year olds are taken out and the people who are ill all of whom would have been included in the unemployment figures 15/20 years ago. What is the true figure and which govenments have allowed this massive rise in unemployment to occur ? Questions that should be answered by our elected representatives, Peter Hain MP is one of them. All the job losses are ignored by our elected leaders, we suffer in silence. I asked for constructive criticism from the people who post on here and who all appear to speak with the same voice. What do you wish to be done to redress the massive unemployment we are suffering? Who do you think is capable of doing this? Why were all our jobs allowed to go abroad? We are not lazy, we are not stupid, our jobs have been taken from us to other countries where the standard of living is way below ours and the people can afford to work for a much lower wage. Who asked for a 'global economy' ? why did our government not tell us when we were asking why our jobs were going why this was happening? So many questions need to be answered and remember a people is only ignorant when information is witheld so they remain ignorant of the facts they need to make an informed decision. Do we need to listen to more lies at the up and coming election or is someone going to stand up and swear to the people, hand on heart, I will not be corrupted, I will not milk the system to pay for my luxuries while you lose your jobs, houses and dignity. I will make sure each child has a decent education and the system helps those who are sick and ill, without a postcode lottery of drugs. Who will say this? Show me the person and perhaps I will have someone to put my faith in, someone whom I can trust and someone for whom I will work my fingers to the bone alongside to get this country back on it's feet and make it a place that will be fit for my children and grandchildren to live in. Not a place where greed prevails and is rewarded while people suffer in silence.”

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    by Doug, Aberavon

    Wednesday, December 16 2009, 5:12PM

    “Reply to Linda Ware,

    When a BNP candidate writes on this site it is timely to remember what his organisations stands for.

    It is a fascist organisation.It has only ever had two leaders..Tyndall and Griffin.

    Both are convicted criminals.
    Tyndall can be seen on 'google images' in full nazi uniform posing in front of a swastika and a framed photograph of Hitler.He has six criminal convictions for a range of unpleasant offences.

    Griffin,the current leader, was convicted in 1998 of race hate crimes and is a well known denier that the Holocaust took place.Are we meant to be kind to these foul characters?

    Andrew Brons the BNP s second Euro MP was hauled up in court for shouting 'Death to the Jews!'. Are we meant to treat this vicious anti semite with courtesy?

    And it is true that Griffin has shared political platforms with a range of nazis and white supremacists including a leader of the American Klu Klux Klan [ Griffin described him as a nice guy ].
    It is also true that a BNP member killed three and maimed hundreds in a series of nail bomb attacks in London in 1998. This murderer had acted as a bodyguard to Tyndall.

    When the police arrested him they discovered his small flat covered in a swastika flag and BNP and nazi literature. Apparently, he had SS fantasies fuelled by the race hate policies of the BNP.He is now serving 50 years in prison.


    It is also true that the BNP 'Honour Guard' called Combat 18 took its name from the letters A and H from its nazi hero.


    It is also true that a BNP member in Swansea was convicted three years ago for hurling racist and sexist obscenities at a young asian woman on a Landore street while at the same time shouting 'Seig Heil'. Are we meant to give this thug any respect?Surely not?

    It is also true that the BNP is crammed full of convicted criminals at all levels...everone from football hooligans to wanna be terrorists, and from vicious street thugs to professional race haters. Indeed one BNP organiser was caught on tape boasting how he liked shoving dog mess throught he letter box of an Asian shopkeeper. Are we meant to give people like him respect?

    When the BNP candidate shares his political thoughts with one and all it is only right and proper ythat we are reminded about the BNPs violent and racist past and present...and the threat it poses to all our futures!”

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    by Councillor Kevin Edwards, BNP Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Aberavon

    Wednesday, December 16 2009, 4:43PM

    “On a day when.

    Unemployment rose by 9,000 in Wales between August and October, leading to a total increase of 30,000 this year.

    The quarterly rise was one of the largest in the UK, and it means there are now 125,000 people unemployed in Wales.

    The unemployment rate in Wales is 8.8% against a UK average of 7.9% and when the number of 16-to-24 year olds who are unemployed rose to 952,000, the highest figure since records began in 1992. .

    All the "Usefull Idiots " can be bothered doing is copy and pase the same irrelevant nonsense post after post,time after time.

    Not one of the "Usefull Idiots " dares to make a comment on the following which once again blows their rubbish slurs and insults against the BNP and its members out of the window.

    I know that you all only have an IQ that starts above room temperature so I will mention it again for our benefit.

    The Fundholder of West Wales BNP is " JEWISH " and had a large number of his family systematically murdered by Hitler and Stalin in the 1940's.

    One of my team who was with me leafletting in Port Talbot and Aberavon today has a Vietnamese wife and has mixed race children !

    Blows your nazi nonsense straight out of the window doesn't it.

    Any comments ?

    The bottom line is this.

    Ordinary people don't give a " Flying Fig " about what the "Usefull Idiots" say.

    They want jobs.
    They want Council Houses. They want immigration stopped.
    They want a future for their children.
    They want a good education system.
    They want an end to unaccountable,expenses fiddling MP's like Peter Hain and the " invisisble man " Hywel Francis.

    All this and much more.

    Lesley Aberavon.

    Look around you and your constituency and see what years of New Labour neglect has done.

    "Usefull Idiots" from Neath do the same.

    Only the British National Party can offer the downtrodden British people a better future and the voters realise it.”

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