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DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson repays £555 claimed for hotel pay-to-view films
Monday, 6 July 2009
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DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson has repaid £555 to the House of Commons’ fees office after charging dozens of pay-to-view movies to the tax payer.
The former junior minister made claims for 68 pay-to-view movies at London hotels where he stayed in 2004 and 2005, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Under the rules, he was allowed to use his second home allowance to pay for items “wholly, exclusively and necessarily” relating to parliamentary duties.
The claims were paid by the fees office, which has come under fire after a series of damaging disclosures in the Daily Telegraph for meeting MPs’ often unlikely and expensive claims.
He is now to repay costs relating to room service, mini-bars and entertainment from hotel stays, amounting to £678.90.
Details of Mr Donaldson's claims were published in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday.
The newspaper quoted sources in the hotels who said the movies watched by Mr Donaldson were in the highest price category, made up of recent box office smashes and adult movies.
In a statement to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Donaldson said he had not watched anything adult or pornographic. “Such material was not viewed on the date alleged, or at all,” he said.
His hotel bills made reference to “room service 2”. Asked by the Daily Telegraph what the reference meant, John McBurney, Mr Donaldson’s solicitor, said: “Clearly, it is impossible to be precise in relation to each and every item.
“However, it would have been common practice to have used pay TV, including internet access and other media services.”
First Minister Peter Robinson said: “Mr Donaldson has been asked to pay back any expenses which have not been properly incurred and I understand that he intends to do so.
“In the light of his categorical denials, Mr Donaldson is clearly entitled to a presumption of innocence.”
Film prices ranged from £7.50 at the Marriot, County Hall, to £14.95 at the Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow Airport.
He was also billed for 30 films at £7.95 each during stays at the Jolly Hotel St Ermine near Westminster and claimed on four occasions for £9.95, the cost of watching a film at Hilton Hotels.
In 2004 and 2005, the MP stayed in London for two or three nights a week. In 2005, he bought a flat in south London with fellow DUP MP Sammy Wilson, and the hotel claims ceased.
The MP denied watching any content of an adult or pornographic nature.
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Comments
25 Comments
lets see the list jeffrey? <
Posted by phillip | 11.07.09, 12:01 GMT
Ooooooooooooooh Jeffrey.
Posted by George, Rainbow House | 07.07.09, 06:54 GMT
there are worst things happening in this world and john dallet is worried about a couple oof movies he needs to get a grip.
Posted by louise | 06.07.09, 20:44 GMT
It was probably something high brow like Pingu or The Wiggles...
Posted by Strucker | 06.07.09, 18:01 GMT
How do we know he didn't just watch a film called 'Room Service 2' 68 times?
Posted by Donny O'Daniel | 06.07.09, 17:40 GMT
And heres me thinking he only watched Daniel O'Donnel videos to sharpen up his impersonation skills.
Posted by Donny O'Daniel | 06.07.09, 17:31 GMT
Should get Jeffrey to review films on the Belfast Telegraph's website. That'd be excellent. Come on BT - you know what to do!
Posted by Jacques Le Coq Grande | 06.07.09, 17:26 GMT
I couldn't care less if he was watching 'Daniel O'Donnell Live in Concert' or 'Debbie Does Dallas part 3 - The Director's Cut (with extra scenes)'. What he watched is none of our business. I don't want to know. What is our business however is that he was watching movies and we were paying for them! This is wrong. Giving the money back doesn't make everything ok. If I went into a shop and stole a Daniel O'Donnell boxset, brought it home for a listen then brought it back - it wouldn't make it OK!
Posted by Jacques Le Coq Grande | 06.07.09, 17:24 GMT
Who cares what movies he watches? It's his awful, bible based, right wing politics that people should be offended by.
Posted by mistercee | 06.07.09, 16:57 GMT
He'd be better off reading his Bible, saying his prayers or doing some outreach on the streets of London.
Posted by Michael | 06.07.09, 16:43 GMT
Maybe he was watching Daniel O'Donnell live in Letterkenny, standing in front of the mirror, swinging those sexy DUP hips to and fro, flicking his fringe while pouting alluringly at his handsome self, all the time thinking "it could have been me"
Posted by erasmus | 06.07.09, 16:34 GMT
It was interesting that Mr Donaldson choose to respond to questions about these charges through his solicitor! He is not normally so shy!
Posted by pricewise | 06.07.09, 15:56 GMT
It's a complete disgrace. It's actually funny to see our politicians flying home in the middle of the week from London. Flying Business Class with nobody else enough well off enough to afford them. As the rest of the flight is completely full we have our elected officials segregated off at the front of the plane in overly expensive seats that we are paying for, and it's the middle of the week. Paying for his films is small scale in comparison.
Vote them all out!!!!
Posted by Jack Watson | 06.07.09, 15:27 GMT
Someone should ask what movies were watched under the FOI Act.
Posted by CAT | 06.07.09, 15:09 GMT
Hey Jeffrey, can you suggest any good movies to watch????
Posted by Andy | 06.07.09, 14:43 GMT
Come on people! There must be a million gags out there, let's hear them! what was he watching? Michael Collins? Given his status in the party, The Man Who Would be King? If it was around about the time of the Good Friday Agreement, was it Minority Report? Clive Owen in DUPlicity?
Posted by wheresthejokes | 06.07.09, 14:08 GMT
If you want to watch a movie you pay for it yourself, you dont lecture other people then do the opposite, that is called hypocrisy something else to add to your education
Posted by w. gould | 06.07.09, 11:40 GMT
Can anyone actually see an apology emanating from Mr Donaldson's lips for claiming his personal entertainment from the public purse?
Posted by Bemused | 06.07.09, 10:02 GMT
mps due to self indulgance have lost all touch with reality,in one year he watched 68 movies he could not have been very busy ,,new rules,,,,mps will not employ family members,, will retire at 65,, and can not switch partys and claim to be a member of a party which they were not elected to,,,,,
Posted by HG | 06.07.09, 09:27 GMT
If Jeffrey Donaldson and his party think its reasonable to claim for these movies then it just shows how the system is being abused. If I were on business with my company I would expect my hotel and meals(within reason) to be paid but things like movies etc would be at my own cost - these are extras that wouldnt normally be covered.What do MP's actually have to pay for out of their wages?? A lot of the local ones have been double jobbing for years and are only addressing it now cos they have to.
Posted by ian | 06.07.09, 08:52 GMT
25 Comments