Comments on Guy Fawkes' blog of parliamentary plots, rumours and conspiracy: LibDem's Bung May Be Needed Soon

The Lib Dem trustees are Lord Clement-Jones, Lord ...

2006-10-30T13:04:00.000Z

The Lib Dem trustees are Lord Clement-Jones, Lord Dholakia, David Griffiths, Eric Lowry, Baroness Neuberger, Lord Sharman, Lord Vallance and Sir Ian Wrigglesworth. I sincerely doubt a £2.4 million debt split eight ways would bankrupt any of them. Even if it did, I guess it would then be split between seven as opposed to eight.

Would this be the same auditors who did for BCCI. ...

2006-10-30T12:39:00.000Z

Would this be the same auditors who did for BCCI.
If the Lib-Dems had a scrap of a conscience that money would have been repaid by now.
They're very quick to criticise others, but are just as unscrupulous as the rest.
Bah, a pox on 'em.

"Tory and Labour loyalists will never eat another ...

2006-10-28T16:57:00.000+01:00

"Tory and Labour loyalists will never eat another fruit pastille"

& presumably Tories will never shop at Sainsbury's & socialists long ago gave up wearing Polly Peck stockings.

And there was I thinking that a 'Lib Dem' 'bung' w...

2006-10-28T09:22:00.000+01:00

And there was I thinking that a 'Lib Dem' 'bung' was a device used by Belinda Oaten to restrict hubby's straying-power.

Bit of sympathy this morning for 'wor Blinny' since Amanda Platell is having a go at her in the 'Dirty Male'. If Blin has got a couple of those bungs spare then one for her own gob and one for the mare who makes Dianne Abbott seem to be both political genius and beauty incarnate would not come amiss, inserted in the appropriate orifice.

Why bother with the Liberals? They'll never have e...

2006-10-28T08:29:00.000+01:00

Why bother with the Liberals? They'll never have enough power to really help anybody.

"The JRRT is a very respectable body, completely r...

2006-10-28T05:24:00.000+01:00

"The JRRT is a very respectable body, completely removed from the confectionery business (owned by Nestle), and to criticise it for making donations to the Liberal movement is fundamentally missing the point - it's an essentially Liberal trust founded and run by Liberals and the trust's raison d'etre post 1935 has been to support the continuation of the liberal tradition in British politics, and latterly to support the party and particular candidates who it deemed to be supportive of liberal democratic reform (they made a modest donation to my expenses in the 2001 election). "

Err but the Lib Dems aren't 'Liberal', they are a bunch of populist tosspots who will always contradict party policy at local level to squeeze any available vote.I think I'll apply for a Fruit Pastille grant if the Rowntree Foundation are that gullible...

Ming has no scruples when it comes to associating ...

2006-10-28T00:33:00.000+01:00

Ming has no scruples when it comes to associating with unconvincing characters.

All of this begs the question......"Should politic...

2006-10-27T23:26:00.000+01:00

All of this begs the question......"Should political parties be properly funded by the tax-payer" *

* as if we aren't being screwed enough already.

Isn't it better for political parties to be funded...

2006-10-27T21:07:00.000+01:00

Isn't it better for political parties to be funded from the sale of chocolate than from general taxation?

Er- lets see what the electorate makes of this typ...

2006-10-27T19:04:00.000+01:00

Er- lets see what the electorate makes of this type of politics in a couple of years time, most are pretty disillusioned with this your sleazier than us stuff which is a major turn off, and with a system that produces landslide victories with less than 45% of those bothering to vote. Its hardly a battle of ideas and philosophy, just who is up to their armpits in sleaze.

The Times stated (so who knows if it's true or not...

2006-10-27T19:00:00.000+01:00

The Times stated (so who knows if it's true or not), that the party CAN NOT use the donation to get us out of the Michael Brown 'situation'.

Indeed, £200,000 of the trust's donation is already being spent in the party's diversity fund.

While any donation from, say, the Midlands Indust...

2006-10-27T18:50:00.000+01:00

While any donation from, say, the Midlands Industrial Council or Bob Edmiston to a political party is a perfectly respectable donation.

Why is this blog listed as independent in Iain Dale's list? If you're going to spare one party and attack all the others at any opportunity, you're supporting that party.

Maybe it is to disguise the payment of a bet - The...

2006-10-27T18:31:00.000+01:00

Maybe it is to disguise the payment of a bet - The FibDims brought in Scroaten who was indeed able to suck one until the end.

I'll get me coat.

Why bother to bung the Liberals? They'll never hav...

2006-10-27T18:23:00.000+01:00

Why bother to bung the Liberals? They'll never have the power to help anybody.

what happens if the party trustees go bankrupt bec...

2006-10-27T18:18:00.000+01:00

what happens if the party trustees go bankrupt because they cannot cover the debt?

Its the part trustees that are liable for any mone...

2006-10-27T17:52:00.000+01:00

Its the part trustees that are liable for any money that will need to be returned and not the members - therefore your £31 headline is completely misleading.

The JRRT has always been a supporter of liberal de...

2006-10-27T17:48:00.000+01:00

The JRRT has always been a supporter of liberal democratic and constitutional reformist causes, particularly given Rowntree's historic concern for social reform (see Seebohm Rowntree's works on poverty).

The JRRT is a very respectable body, completely removed from the confectionery business (owned by Nestle), and to criticise it for making donations to the Liberal movement is fundamentally missing the point - it's an essentially Liberal trust founded and run by Liberals and the trust's raison d'etre post 1935 has been to support the continuation of the liberal tradition in British politics, and latterly to support the party and particular candidates who it deemed to be supportive of liberal democratic reform (they made a modest donation to my expenses in the 2001 election).

The JRF categorically specified that the money was...

2006-10-27T17:43:00.000+01:00

The JRF categorically specified that the money was not to be used to pay back the Brown donation. Do your research Guido!

"Tory and Labour loyalists will never eat another ...

2006-10-27T17:41:00.000+01:00

"Tory and Labour loyalists will never eat another fruit pastille again after the Rowntree Trust recently bunged the Libdems £2m to help out with their troubles"

Jesus, just how big was Charles Kennedy's drinks bill before he stepped, sorry, fell down?

Although this donation may mean that in return, the libdems logo may have reflect every colour of the rainbow. Maybe it will be scratch'n'sniff that smells all fruity too (add your own Mark Oaten joke here)

or what about using the JT funds to prosecute LDs ...

2006-10-27T17:36:00.001+01:00

or what about using the JT funds to prosecute LDs for taking the Brown funds?

From JT "For this end it may occasionally be necessary to prosecute
offenders or to lodge petitions against the return of those who have been elected
through corrupt means. I should wish the funds of the Social Service Trust to be
available for such purposes.".

Unfortunately once M. Thatcher's government let Ne...

2006-10-27T17:36:00.000+01:00

Unfortunately once M. Thatcher's government let Nestle get hold of Rowntree in 1986 the Trust became a little more flush with cash and seemingly the only place that the Rowntree name lives on.

I believe that like the Cadbury family the Rowntree family was Nonconformist which accounts for the reason it would be charitably disposed towards non-Tory causes

What Joseph Rowntree actually said he wanted his T...

2006-10-27T17:33:00.000+01:00

What Joseph Rowntree actually said he wanted his Trusts to do...."Ordinary subscriptions to political organisations will, I believe, be inexpedient, but occasional crises might arise when the funds of this Trust might
rightly be drawn upon."

So the Lib Dems seem to have become an "occasional crisis" every year!

How else can they say that JT's wishes are being followed?

From the JRRT website:What we do not fund The Jose...

2006-10-27T17:27:00.000+01:00

From the JRRT website:

What we do not fund

The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust Ltd is not a charitable trust and therefore only provides grants for non-charitable political and campaigning activities. Examples of work for which the Trust does not make grants are:

. The personal support of individuals in need

So the Lib Dems will have to give it back, then?

I owe a lot money to objectionable people as well ...

2006-10-27T17:19:00.001+01:00

I owe a lot money to objectionable people as well and I could pass as a liberal - so I am applying to the Rowntree Trust for a grant. Its easy why not have ago yourself?

I was trying to think of a joke about that weirdo in the photo caption competition and "dirty money" - but I can't

and it's not the crap dribbling from oatens mouth ...

2006-10-27T17:19:00.000+01:00

and it's not the crap dribbling from oatens mouth in the caption competition