‘He was forced to resign as Chief Secretary to the Treasury over revelations about his expenses claims, but there was widespread sympathy for him at Westminster.’ That is the Daily Mail’s summary about the disgraced former Lib Dem minister, David Laws.
Just seven months after he had to resign for defrauding the taxpayer and lying about his personal circumstances over his expenses claims the political class is preparing to parachute David Laws back into a ministerial position as if he had done nothing wrong. It has been coming since the week he took his extended break from the front bench. There is no clearer example of the contempt in which the taxpaying public is held by the politicians in Westminster. There is no clearer example of the moral bankruptcy that permeates Westminster.
Where in the past dishonourable conduct and wrongdoing could have been expected to result in a shamefaced resignation from Parliament and a by-election, now it only attracts a short spell on the backbenches before a triumphant return to the trappings of power. It is seen as a minor inconvenience on a politician’s career path and the short suspension is merely a small and utterly resentful sop to the public. MPs think they are a special case. They have an arrogant sense of entitlement and convince themselves they are a special case and should live by rules that suit them.
In any other occupation David Laws would have been summarily sacked by his employer for knowingly claiming money to which he was not entitled and telling lies to make it appear his claim was within the rules. But in the Westminster bubble these pompous, overblown egomaniacs can do what they like and know there will be no consequences, or consequences so trivial they are not worthy of being applied.
£40,000 of taxpayers’ money was claimed fraudulently by David Laws. Regardless he kept his seat and MP’s salary and perks. Now it seems he will shortly get more money in salary and a ministerial car and have a degree of influence over people who have been honourable and not taken what is not theirs. It’s sick and it’s wrong.
It is time the Westminster swamp was drained and the parasites removed.
Autonomous Mind 
Could not agree more AM! It is, unfortunately, par for the course at the moment and the sooner the revolution occurs, the better for the taxpayer and the country.
Laws’ return would also make a mockery of the prosecution of those ex-MPs which is currently taking place. Before there are cries about the difference in severity of wrong-doing, I would point out that when in a position of trust and use of taxpayer’s money, wrong-doing is wrong-doing, whatever the degree of wrong-doing!
The whole parliamentary process and politics in general is a contempt of voters and tax payers.
After announcing ‘cuts’ of 6 billion the government bungs Ireland 6 billion.
They bail out Greece although the Lisbon Treaty forbids bail outs, and this weekend the Bank of England funds the European Central bank by another 10 billion when we are not part of the Euro. They want treaty changes? No problem if it is only for the Euro zone. No chance of a referendum then? No chance with Cameron at the helm. Too inconvenient, he might get the wrong answer.
Laws has no business being in Parliament, never mind a front bench position. He should be on some bench in a crown court along with a lot more of them.
As an increasingly aggrieved taxpayer and voter I agree with every word you have written. For anyone in normal employment £40K claimed – even if claimed in genuine error, let alone to try and keep a sexual reputation intact – would be an instant career breaker and probably a tax prosecution on top. Given the circumstances of the other expenses scandals at the time it also displays an appalling lack of judgement.
I’m very surprised that no other political group from outside government tried to make a case out of it with a private prosecution. Surely that would have been an option?
The problem with leeches Autonomous, is that they tend to stick around.
I understand that the application of a hot fag sometimes works though.
@Robert…
“Laws has no business being in Parliament, never mind a front bench position. He should be on some bench in a crown court along with a lot more of them.”
So you think that Laws shouldn’t even remain, like his erstwhile colleague Jeremy Thorpe, a “back bencher”?
Laws has shown himself to be corrupt – that should be enough to disqualify him from any return to the front-bench.