revision
05-31-2009, 04:15 PM
Brown unmoved by expenses scandal, dire polls
Sun, 31 May 2009 15:38:51 GMT
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=96598§ionid=351020601
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he has no plans to step down despite the damages to the approval ratings of his ruling party's ratings over a recent scandal.
The remarks on Sunday came as poll ratings showed his Labour Party would come third in next week's European elections with just 17 percent, behind the second opposition centrist Liberal Democrats.
Earlier, the Daily Telegraph published the ICM poll suggesting Labour would also come third general election with just 22 percent of the vote, the lowest Labour's rating in 22 years.
The scandal has blotted the reputation of all the country's main parties, and has proven specially damaging to the Labour and main opposition Conservatives, with 13 lawmakers announcing they would not stand in the next elections.
The row began over three weeks ago when the daily published a list detailing the expenses claims of the parliament members, revealing embarrassing cases where money had been claimed to repay a nonexistent loans or dredge a country house moat.
In the interview with the BBC on Sunday, the premier said he would make sure lawmakers agreed to a code of conduct, pledging a 'clean-up' of the parliament as well as public-funded organizations such as the National Health System and the British broadcaster.
He also promised that "that every lawmaker would be forced to account for all their expenses from the last four years."
"I did not come into politics to allow a situation to develop where MPs ran away with money they did not deserve," Brown added.
Sun, 31 May 2009 15:38:51 GMT
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=96598§ionid=351020601
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he has no plans to step down despite the damages to the approval ratings of his ruling party's ratings over a recent scandal.
The remarks on Sunday came as poll ratings showed his Labour Party would come third in next week's European elections with just 17 percent, behind the second opposition centrist Liberal Democrats.
Earlier, the Daily Telegraph published the ICM poll suggesting Labour would also come third general election with just 22 percent of the vote, the lowest Labour's rating in 22 years.
The scandal has blotted the reputation of all the country's main parties, and has proven specially damaging to the Labour and main opposition Conservatives, with 13 lawmakers announcing they would not stand in the next elections.
The row began over three weeks ago when the daily published a list detailing the expenses claims of the parliament members, revealing embarrassing cases where money had been claimed to repay a nonexistent loans or dredge a country house moat.
In the interview with the BBC on Sunday, the premier said he would make sure lawmakers agreed to a code of conduct, pledging a 'clean-up' of the parliament as well as public-funded organizations such as the National Health System and the British broadcaster.
He also promised that "that every lawmaker would be forced to account for all their expenses from the last four years."
"I did not come into politics to allow a situation to develop where MPs ran away with money they did not deserve," Brown added.