Birkdale Lib Dems blog (Free subscription) | 07/11/2009
Confirmation, not that more is required, that the nasty rightwing moraliser who loves to go on about decent standards is not such an upright toff as he would have folk believe. Todays Independent carries the story: Natural slap *Years ago, when the Tory MP Eleanor Laing was speaking in the Commons in favour of lowering the age of consent for gays, she was interrupted by that grand old cauldron of moral...
Neil Woollcott (Free subscription) | 28/10/2009
12 years if you are my local MP, Eleanor Laing. There have been some mutterings that Eleanor Laing is sending around a rather glossy brochure/ leaflet. I haven't received mine yet, but you can actually view it here. A few things sound out.First of all, it leads with a headline 'So what does your MP do?'. Surely after 12 as our local MP Eleanor should know what she does. Or is she beginning
Andy Peacock (Free subscription) | 28/10/2009
Conservative MP Eleanor Laing has survived a vote of confidence by her constituency party after criticism of her conduct over expenses. The MP for Epping Forest was criticised for not paying capital gain tax on the sale of two properties on which she had claimed public money. Although she did nothing wrong under the rules in place at the time, she agreed to voluntarily repay £25.000. A host of...
The Guardian (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009
Shadow justice minister insists she has done nothing wrong but dismisses suggestions of whitewash Tory MP Eleanor Laing has survived a vote of no confidence triggered by criticism of her expenses claims. The shadow justice minister and MP for Epping Forest said she had been humbled to win the "overwhelming support" of members of the Epping Forest Conservative association. The MP insisted...
The Appalling Strangeness (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009
Another day, another troughing MP in the news : Mrs Laing faced widespread criticism for not paying £180,000 capital gains tax on the sale of two Westminster flats, on which she made a £1m profit. And, of course, the oft-quoted mantra is there: This practice is perfectly legal but has been heavily criticised. Of course. Perfectly legal, but morally reprehensible. That's A- Ok then. Well,...
Neil Woollcott (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009
So the BBC, the local newspaper and local website are reporting that Epping Forest MP Eleanor Laing has survived another day and will remain the Conservative candidate at the next general election. Now it is down to the electorate to decide her fate.For one, I will not be voting for her. I believe she has used the expenses system to her own gain. She doesn't need a second home because her
The Telegraph (Free subscription) | 27/10/2009
Eleanor Laing the shadow justice minister who paid back £25000 in expenses has survived an attempt to have her deselected as a Tory candidate at the next election.
Bob Piper (Free subscription) | 26/10/2009
So... another one slips through the net. Apparently Tory MP Eleanor Laing has survived a vote of confidence from her constituents in Epping Forest. Laing avoided paying £180,000 in capital gains tax avoiding £180,000 in tax on the £1million profit she made selling a second home partly paid for by taxpayers, by telling Parliament a Westminister flat was her second home, while telling...
BBC News (Free subscription) | 26/10/2009
Conservative MP Eleanor Laing survives a vote of confidence by her constituency party after criticism of her conduct over expenses.
Tory Politico (Free subscription) | 26/10/2009
Conservative Shadow Justice Minister Eleanor Laing has won her vote of no confidence. The attempt to remove the Epping Forest MP came after a district council leader gathered 50 signatures calling for her to go. Ms Laing said she would payback £25.000 in expenses after a metro expose, despite being cleared by Sir [...]
ConservativeHome's Seats & Candidat (Free subscription) | 26/10/2009
The Epping Forest MP's local paper has the background to tonight's meeting; but news reaches me that Eleanor Laing has won tonight's vote of confidence. Despite having secured the support of her executive committee at a meeting earlier in the...
Iain Dale's Diary (Free subscription) | 26/10/2009
Epping Forest Tories tonight backed their MP Eleanor Laing after a small group of local Tory members had tried to oust her. She survived a formal deselection vote by what was described to me as an "overwhelming majority" of the two hundred members present. The deselection move was launched by Di Collins, mother of former MP Tim Collins and a local councillor. UPDATE 9.59: The vote was 164...
Neil Woollcott (Free subscription) | 26/10/2009
So it is decision day for Eleanor Laing. Will the girl who Cameron refused to sack although she earned the most out of any of the Conservatives live to fight another day? Or will Di Collins get her way for second time and make a space for her son to be adopted in a winnable seat?
Andy Peacock (Free subscription) | 15/10/2009
Shadow Justice Minster Pay £25.000 of Expenses Conservative Shadow Justice Minister Eleanor Laing is paying back £25.000 in expenses after a metro expose despite being cleared by Sir Thomas Legg's report. She said she did not owe any money but felt honour –bound to do so, as I said I would go months ago. The Conservative MP also face a confidence vote by her local party in 12 days...
The Telegraph (Free subscription) | 15/10/2009
Eleanor Laing the shadow justice minister has volunteered to pay £25000 despite being cleared of wrongdoing by Sir Thomas Legg's audit into MPs expenses.
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