Valleys Mam (Free subscription) | 18/06/2009
Hat Tip to the Guardian There's a good story about the 32 MPs who claimed the maximum amount for food - £400 per month. They were allowed to claim this under the second home allowance, even though there is no logical reason why staying in a second home requires anyone to eat more than they would if they were living at home. In the paper (but not on the web) it appears under the headline: Who...
The Lone Voice (Free subscription) | 16/06/2009
Martyn Jones claimed almost £20,000 in four years for food, claiming the £400 a month for food allowance. Oh and a new microwave was £129 for cooking said taxpayer funded nosh. Martyn Jones rents a flat and a car space (for £165 a month) near Parliament. He claimed a sofa bed cost £764. His receipts for furniture after he moved home in March 2006 include: washing machine,...
Welsh Ramblings (Free subscription) | 12/06/2009
The Financial Times has this piece of bad news for retiring Labour MPs: “City headhunters warned that the scores of [Labour] backbenchers likely to lose their seats will be largely unemployable” “They are more discredited than some [bank non-execs] – and that’s saying something” “people will not want to touch them with a barge pole” On the bright side...
Plaid Wrecsam (Free subscription) | 17/05/2009
In May 2007, 98 MPs voted to exempt themselves from the Freedom of Information Act, with the apparent aim of stopping the public from finding out the details of their Parliamentary expense claims. The measure was ultimately defeated, and after a long legal battle, the courts last year ordered the publication of the expense claims made by MPs. The government, however, continued to drag its feet until...
ConservativeHome's Seats & Candidat (Free subscription) | 10/05/2009
Following a recent flurry of announcements of retirements by sitting Labour MPs vulnerable to a swing to the Conservatives, here is news of another who is stepping down at the next election. Martyn Jones, MP for Clwyd South since 1987,...
Three Thousand Versts of Loneliness (Free subscription) | 08/05/2009
What does an MP normally do when he or she retires? Write some memoirs? Do some after dinner speaking? Trim some shots off the golf handicap perhaps? Try some home brewing? It’s not quite the latter option for Labour MP for Clywd South, Martyn Jones. He’s set himself the task of reviving a defunct brand of beer , Wrexham Lager, which he bought for £1. Good luck with that Sir!
David Cornock's other blog (Free subscription) | 07/05/2009
An anecdote from the retiring Martyn Jones about his battle with Boris Johnson for the Clwyd South seat in 1997. "Boris went to the Chirk car boot sale with one or two supporters and it just happened to be the same day as I went with about 20 supporters. "He was walking about by himself and so we went over to say hello and we all patted him on the back - he didn't realise we were sticking...
Plaid Wrecsam (Free subscription) | 07/05/2009
Or more accurately "rat leaves sinking ship"... as it becomes obvious that Labour are going to get hammered in the next General Election, we will see many more MPs opting for the fat pension and comfortable retirement rather than fight on in 2010. It says a lot that, after 22 years, Martyn will be best remembered for his distinctive bow ties.
BBC News (Free subscription) | 07/05/2009
The Clwyd South MP will step down at the next general election after a political career spanning 22 years.
icWales (Free subscription) | 07/05/2009
SENIOR Labour MP Martyn Jones is to stand down at the next election after 22 years in Westminster, he said last night.
David Cornock's other blog (Free subscription) | 06/05/2009
His is one of the most distinctive bow ties seen at Westminster since the era of Robin Day. But the word is that Martyn Jones's neckwear of choice is unlikely to be seen in the Commons after the next general election. After 22 years as MP for Clwyd South, Mr Jones, who is 62, has apparently decided to call it a day. Expect an official announcement within the next 24 hours. Besides his unusual taste...
North East Wales Weblog (Free subscription) | 05/03/2009
So Wrexham Lager could [just could at this stage], be brewed once again in the town. This picture is the lasting image I have of the Wrexham's once proud and long brewing history: When Carlsberg Tetley closed in 1999 , they sold off the Wrexham Lager trademark to Martyn Jones , MP for Clwyd South, for £1. Mr Jones, a former microbiologist for the brewery, tells BBC Local News that he plans to...
Plaid Wrecsam (Free subscription) | 22/01/2009
What a great victory it was for grass roots politics when the internet garnered thousands of people to oppose the Government's secretive and underhanded attempt to exempt MP's and Peers expenses from public scrutiny and the Freedom of Information Act. Can't wait to see Ian Lucas's and Martyn Jones. Anyone who is interested in open and transparent government need to link up to mysociety.com and theyworkforyou.com...
Peter Black AM (Free subscription) | 22/07/2008
BBC's Good Morning Wales is reporting that an Early Day Motion signed by nine MPs , eight of them Welsh, has caused mild consternation at the Royal Welsh Show. Alun Michael (Cardiff South and Penarth), Martyn Jones (Clwyd South), Hywel Francis (Aberavon), Madeleine Moon (Bridgend), Paul Flynn (Newport West), Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd), Don Touhig (Islwyn) and Chris Bryant (Rhondda) have all put their...
ORDOVICIUS (Free subscription) | 13/06/2008
Here's how our MPs voted on 42 days: Labour Albert Owen (Ynys Môn): Aye Betty Williams (Conwy): Aye Chris Ruane (Vale of Clwyd): Aye David Hanson (Delyn): Aye Mark Tami (Alyn and Deeside): Aye Ian Lucas (Wrexham): Aye Martyn Jones (Clwyd South): Aye Nicholas Ainger (Carmarthen West & Pembrokeshire South): Aye Nia Griffith (Llanelli): Aye Martin Caton (Gower): Absent Alan Williams (Swansea...
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