Anger over Sinn Fein allowances
Ministers were accused of offering preferential treatment to Sinn Fein as the Commons agreed that the party’s five MPs will be able to claim up to £650,000 a year in allowances, and approved a motion authorising the party to claim up to £84,000 annually for the “representative business” of its frontbench spokesmen.
Mark Durkan, leader of the SDLP, and Democratic Unionist MPs said that such funds could be used to support Sinn Fein activity in their constituencies, whereas their own allocations were limited to parliamentary business at Westminster. The move was also attacked by several Labour MPs.
Maude attacks hostility to gays
The hostility of Margaret Thatcher’s Government to homosexuals has been blamed in part by Francis Maude, Chairman of the Tory party, for his brother’s death from Aids (Andrew Pierce writes).
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In a remarkable attack on the administration that he served as a minister, Mr Maude — who said that he had been wrong to have voted for Section 28, which banned local authorities from promoting homosexual lifestyles — described the Government as “morally wrong” in the 1980s in its approach to gays.
In 1993 Mr Maude’s brother Charles, 42, died of an Aids-related illness.
Blair attacked over cost of trip
Downing Street has defended plans for the taxpayer to pay for Tony Blair’s weekend trip to South Africa for a political event at a game resort.
Officials said that Mr Blair would hold talks with President Mbeki of South Africa and other leaders, including President Lula da Silva of Brazil, at the Progressive Governance Summit at the Didimala Game Lodge, north of Pretoria.
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As The Times disclosed on Tuesday, Mr Blair is cutting short his visit to South Africa to take part in Monday’s vote on ID cards. The Tories have said that he or the Labour Party should pay for what is now mainly a political event.