Vaz and conflicts of interest in public life

RE: Vaz and conflicts of interest in public life

Robert FalconerTaylor — Thu, 08 Sep 2016 08:07:08 GMT

I believe Mr Vaz was also at the centre of some other scandal some years ago and thrown out the labour party? Getting citizenship for mates through the back door or something like that?

RE: Vaz and conflicts of interest in public life

grumpyoldman — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 22:21:55 GMT

Its not just rich and powerful men who seek solace etc, elsewhere when things are not as they would wish them to be at home . Its unfortunate that it all gets laundered in public but that is the risk you take, the public eye is not selective.

Not the kind of guy you would buy a car from or leave babysitting ,so probably an excellent politician

RE: Vaz and conflicts of interest in public life

Hannah Wynne Richards — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 17:09:19 GMT

If the flat was bought with poor pooor taxpayers money, then they probably were turning a blind eye to his financial misdemenours. If not, the if they knew about it, they must have suspected something. You don't buy a flat for investment purposes, then leave it empty.

Wynne

RE: Vaz and conflicts of interest in public life

David Mills — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 17:08:09 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]Perhaps he was just doing a bit of research so he is better able to have insightful opinions and make decisions on the subjects.[/quote]

Actually, the story goes that he was claiming that they were not prostitutes at all, but decorators.

... which brings a whole new meaning to the euphemism about having the painters in.

[/quote]

And there was me thinking it was only women who had painters in on a grumpy monthly cycle.

RE: Vaz and conflicts of interest in public life

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 16:56:04 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]I also feel sorry for his family[/quote]

Me too. Humiliating for his wife. And beyond awful for his children. I mean, bad enough to watch a parent being vilified about anything. But so much worse because it's about the subject that no child ever wants to contemplate.

RE: Vaz and conflicts of interest in public life

Hannah Wynne Richards — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 16:42:49 GMT

Three things worry me.

Firstly, the flat was only 10 minutes from his own home. Was this paid for by taxpayers.........if so, a clear abuse of parliamentary expenses, as he didn't need a 2nd residence to perform his parliamentary duties. Incidentally, when the Telegraph carried out its investigation, one of the lowest claims was from the late Charles Kennedy..........who had one of the most remote constituencies, and therefore would be expected to have one of the highest claims. Until the funding of this flat is revealed, there must be a suspicion of financial crime,

Secondly, if he offered to pay for cocaine, then he's a drug criminal.

Thirdly, this relationship was clearly exploitive, and since one of the remits of the Home Affairs Committee is the abolition of exploitation, then his chairmanship is incompatible with his actions.

Arlo I think the lack of condemnation is because it isn't politically correct to condemn Labour, or ethnic minorities, or homosexuals. If this had been a white Conservative MP, who had used female prostitutes, the left wing press would have been far far more judgemental. Admittedly, it was a left wing paper that broke the news, but I suspect that is far more "Old Labour" than Keith Vaz and his fashionable cronies.

Very nasty man.

Wynne

PS There's nothing new about sexual impropriety on the part of politicians. I was recently reading a book about the First World War, which quoted a general grumbling that it wasn'nt safe to tell politicians anything, as "They'll all tell their wives, with the exception of Lloyd George, who'll tell someone else's wife" That was a hundred years ago, so nothing new.

RE: Vaz and conflicts of interest in public life

Clive Ansell — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 16:29:33 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]Did he pay the decorators bill? Did he enter it as a parliamentary expense?[/quote]

I wonder if he has to pay a supplement for a back door delivery?

RE: Vaz and conflicts of interest in public life

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 15:47:26 GMT

The problem is that although most of society lives a hardly blameless life many people are quick to judge others, especially those whose behaviour is outside what they perceive as social norms. However, those in public office are under more scrutiny than most and should realise they have to behave to a higher level of responsibility than average or they rightly or wrongly will lose the confidence of the voters and their peers whether or not it affects their ability to do their job. I also feel sorry for his family even though it is not likely it was all a bed of roses anyway if he was a closet gay but they should still not have to have their dirty washing aired in public just to satisfy morbid curiosity and sell some newspapers.

RE: Vaz and conflicts of interest in public life

Bob Russell — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 15:13:31 GMT

Within reason I am not overly worried what he or others get up to in the privacy of their own little world.

I am more concerned about the effects it will have on his family. A newspaper trying to get a few more readers at the price of destroying a family? Few of us are angels but from the little I have read he committed no crime. He may have talked about dodgy things but did he commit an offence?

Did he pay the decorators bill? Did he enter it as a parliamentary expense?

RE: Vaz and conflicts of interest in public life

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 12:27:51 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]Perhaps he was just doing a bit of research so he is better able to have insightful opinions and make decisions on the subjects.[/quote]

Actually, the story goes that he was claiming that they were not prostitutes at all, but decorators.

... which brings a whole new meaning to the euphemism about having the painters in.

RE: Vaz and conflicts of interest in public life

Martin Atkinson — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 12:20:39 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]Would we say, for example, that nobody who has ever had a drag of a spliff can be impartial when framing drug laws? [/quote][quote user="Arlo Guthrie"] And whilst the use of prostitutes is not illegal, I do wonder whether someone who uses them should at the same time be conducting a public enquiry on the subject. [/quote]Perhaps he was just doing a bit of research so he is better able to have insightful opinions and make decisions on the subjects.