No one told them they couldn’t do it

Posted on | May 15, 2009 | Comments Off

Labour MP Justice Minister Shahid Malik stepped down today over expenditures under the home allowance. While the press is making much about his purchase of a home entertainment centre for £2,600 for his home, there are much deeper concerns that have led to both his stepping down and rumours of a possible investigation for a breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct that govern his behaviour. His expenses revealed he was paying substantially less rent than the current market price – he is alleged to be paying £400 a month in rent for his first home in his constituency. Yet he has claimed £443 a week for his 2nd residence in London. Admittedly London rents are high, but I’m sure the cost of his 3 bedroom home, if properly evaluated, would be more than £400 a month. He also billed the public £65 for a court summons for unpaid taxes. Mr Malik is also well known for his numerous claims for furniture over the years. He was elected to Parliament in 2005, and in the first year alone made 13 claims for furniture to the tune of £7000. To put this into perspective, that is approximately $12,500 Canadian or $10,600 US. In 2007-08 he submitted 24 more furniture claims. The items included a fireplace, massage chair, fitted closet, various electrical items and a sofa. Let’s not forget his regular maximum claims for food reimbursement of £400 monthly. The man even tried to claim for his Ipod, but in a fit of sanity, it was disallowed.

The concerns that have led to talk of an investigation concern his cosy relationship with his landlord in his constituency. Any member of government, and especially a Minister, should be aware of how their business dealings are perceived. There needs to be a belief that the elected government official is not profiting from their position. Mr Malik’s landlord is also his next door neighbour. He is renting the property for a nominal sum of £100 a week (£400 a month). The owner of the property has admitted he rents a smaller place for much more. Mr. Malik also rents his constituency office from the same landlord, but the cost of £4000 per year is picked up by the government. This is a legitimate expense, but its the slight of hand with the rent on his own place that calls into question his judgement. He is renting at fair market value his office, but renting his own home at well below market price from the same landlord. To compound the notion of impropriety, Mr Malik has entered into the deal with a landlord who was convicted in 2005 for renting a home that the courts labeled uninhabitable.

His justification?

With hindsight of course I would have acted differently on these items but as a new MP, with a Green Book that was full of subjective rules and a guidance team that knew the limits for items, but chose not to share them with MPs, it was inevitable that almost every MP would have items questioned at some point.

He is blaming his expenses on being a new MP. He was new in 2005. He was Justice Minister - hardly a newbie by any standards. Does anyone else see the irony in this? If the Justice Minister didn’t see anything wrong with abusing the expense system, how was anyone else supposed to.

In yet another fit of Parliamentarian Hubris, Mr. Malik has offered to donate £1,050 to a local charity to make amends.

Second home claims for 3 years – £66,000.

Rental arrangements for 3 years in his hometown – £14,400

£1,050 donation to charity to mollify the public – PRICELESS

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