Gravy train

Here we go again. Another MP has been found claiming money for a second home when he wasn’t living there. He also rented it out!

Now to most people, that would appear to be fraud or claiming money on false pretences. You would expect ‘m’learned friends’ to be involved and that Mr Cohen would end up in court.

The Commons Standards and Privileges Committee ruled that Harry Cohen designated a house in Colchester, Essex, as his main home even though he was not living there for long periods and rented it out.

"Mr Cohen's breach was particularly serious and it involved a large sum of public money," the committee said. "Withholding of the resettlement grant is a severe sanction, which will effectively recover from Mr Cohen a similarly large sum of public money."

The report concludes that Mr Cohen received more than £60,000 in public money "to which he was not entitled". The Standards and Privileges Committee, which has the power to recommend sanctions for MPs over their expenses, said the breach was particularly serious and involved a large sum of public money. The report will be debated in the Commons and Mr Cohen is expected to apologise to the House.

Oh goody! Another apology to relish.  And he ends up paying some of the money back – so that’s alright then. Or is it? These are the same folks who pass legislation clamping down on benefit fraud etc – but they are incapable of dealing with skullduggery under their noses.

They still don’t get it.

 Information from the BBC website and the Daily Telegraph website