tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post7876048916936694523..comments2024-03-25T12:55:40.911+00:00Comments on Caron's Musings: If David Laws were Labour or Tory or SNPAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988201531739344840noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-3094487652272476982011-05-15T22:41:54.249+01:002011-05-15T22:41:54.249+01:00Good post, thanks for writing it. I agree it is un...Good post, thanks for writing it. I agree it is unfair that Laws is treated so harshly and, like you, I would have felt that same had he been a member of any other party.<br /><br />However, I wonder if the fact that the members of the committee are all MPs themselves (regardless of the party they represent) plays a significant role? After all, after the expenses scandal, they don't want to be seen as being soft on their fellow MPs.<br /><br />(Reposted comment - I posted this on the original post that was eaten by Blogger.)martijnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03463307000398178175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-39440461230879709602011-05-15T02:08:44.717+01:002011-05-15T02:08:44.717+01:00Caron, I find it hard to agree. A seven-day suspen...Caron, I find it hard to agree. A seven-day suspension is hardly harsh punishment given the eighteen-month plus sentences handed down recently to the phantom mortgage claimants, Morley, Chaytor and Devine. Laws's problem is that his claims involved a deliberate deception. Whether for innocent motives or not, a desire to keep one's sexuality secret can be respected for itself, but it cannot justify a misuse of public money. I know that he could have claimed more legitimately, but he did not. He knew the rules and he knew that he was breaking them. I always felt the push to have Laws reinstated as a Minister had an air of unseemly haste about it, and that view has not changed.youngdegsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14425554058359217667noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-79982698816697597272011-05-12T19:24:00.317+01:002011-05-12T19:24:00.317+01:00Good post, thanks for writing it. I agree it is un...Good post, thanks for writing it. I agree it is unfair that Laws is treated so harshly and, like you, I would have felt that same had he been a member of any other party.<br /><br />However, I wonder if the fact that the members of the committee are all MPs themselves (regardless of the party they represent) plays a significant role? After all, after the expenses scandal, they don't want to be seen as being soft on their fellow MPs.martijnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03463307000398178175noreply@blogger.com