I always thought the Police Commissioner elections were a waste of space. It was just another chance of the lower members of the political establishment to stick their snouts in the trough. Step forward thieving pig Clive Grunshaw, a long serving Labour councillor and as of last month the Police and Crime Commissioner for Lancashire. He is also a thief. Go ahead and sue me Clive. Oink Oink. Sleaze. Sleaze. Oink. Oink.
The excellent Topofthecops.com blog has used FOI information to trawl Grunshaw’s expenses claims. I pass you over to that blog:
“In 2009 when Commissioner Grunshaw held roles as a County Councillor and a member of the Police Authority, he claimed that he had spent from 8 am to 1 pm on 28 September on Police Authority duties, involving a round-trip of 56 miles apparently from his home in Fleetwood to Police Headquarters at Hutton, near Preston, but then claimed 46 miles from the County Council for a round-trip to County Hall at Preston the same day, apparently being absent from home on that occasion between 12 noon and 5 pm. It is not clear how he left home on the second occasion an hour before he had arrived home from his Police Authority duties, or why he travelled 51 miles via his home instead of the 5 mile direct journey.
Whilst this may seem like a simple mistake, TopOfTheCops has uncovered 8 other occasions where Grunshaw’s timings for claims from one authority appear incompatible with timing for claims from another authority for the same day.
Ends.
It seems that porcine Clive also submitted multiple claims for food on the same day. Needless to say when confronted with these claims the man who must oversee a one billion quid budget to stamp out crime said it was all an innocent mistake and he would repay what was due. Yeah right.
The man submitted false expense claims and thus stole taxpayers cash. In the private sector he would be fired and prosecuted. A welfare claimant would lose benefits and be prosecuted. But for members of the “political classes” different rules apply. And that is because they set their own rules.
As we near the end of 1984, sorry 2012, I once again am drawn back to the works of George Orwell and in this case Animal Farm:
“Comrades!” he cried. “You do not imagine, I hope, that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege? Many of us actually dislike milk and apples. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organization of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples.
Grunshaw should use some of his fiddled expenses money to buy a copy of Animal Farm and of 1984 and to read both (after he has resigned and asked for a Police Force from outside Lancashire to investigate him in full).
Double Speak is a combination of two terms from 1984 (Double Think and New Speak) and essentially means saying one thing and meaning another. Someone might, for instance, say “I am tough on crime” while in practice thieving themselves. Ring any bells Police Commissioner?
Of course, trougher Grunshaw will not quit. It is one rule for them and one for us. Some of us are just more equal than others in the sight of the law.