Dogwash

Adenoydz Matyjaszek, more commonly known by his stage name, Denis MacShane, has regretfully decided upon a career change and is applying to become the next Steward of the Chiltern Hundreds, a job I am sure he will discharge with distinction.  Our Denis has, to put it bluntly, been caught with his hands in the till.

So much is common knowledge.  What prompts me to write is a news report I have just heard on the steam wireless.  Our Denis is reported as complaining that he is "the victim of a right-wing conspiracy".  That's a novel excuse, Den boy, innit.  Does that mean that your criminality — and it does look as if the police/CPS may actually be pressurized into acting on this one — that your criminality should be discounted because you disapprove of the people who outed you?  Well, I don't have a link for the above quote but the following may begin to shed some light:

I am shocked and saddened that the BNP has won its 3 year campaign to destroy my political career as a Labour MP despite a full police investigation which decided not to proceed after investigations and interviews. I am glad the Committee notes that there is no question of personal gain. Clearly I deeply regret that the way I chose to be reimbursed for costs related to my work in Europe and in combating anti-semitism, including being the Prime Minister’s personal envoy, has been judged so harshly.

– Denis MacShane, Rotherham MP

The background is that the BNP have claimed to be prime movers in outing the parliamentary expenses scandal of 2009 as a result of the efforts of their activist Michael Barnbrook, a retired police inspector (and no relation of Richard Barnbrook, the party's (former) London AM, incidentally).  The BNP make a lot of overblown claims but there may be some truth in this one.  If nothing else, they succeeded in keeping the shit well stirred, though, being pariahs, their contribution cannot be openly acknowledged.

But Denis has acknowledged it, bless him, and he doesn't think it's fair.  Presumably he would have preferred to have been exposed by somebody a bit more respectable.

Tough.