Andrew Neil asks IPSA why it needs a Communications Chief who gets paid more than MPs

Comments

[John Coles]

Andrew Neil ploughs a lonely furrow. Who in today's Conservative party would dare offer such criticism?

[It doesn't add up...]

And answer came there none. Indeed, they don't need any of their press office at all. Can you think of any other organisation that has a press office for its expenses department?

[TIM]

Andrew Neil has a seriously big chip on his shoulder but it makes him a rare threat (on the BBC anyhow) to vested interests in the political elite.

He keeps well away - or is kept well away - from a number of key issues though. He never questions the pay of those in the private sector for example, the interests of the truly rich, Jewish influence in the media and politics, or the cultural implications of immigration. He is still greatly preferable to an establishment mouthpiece such as Dimbleby however.

[A Public Sector Worker]

In fairness I thought that this interview was handled incorrectly by Andrew, and I'm a big fan of his as he takes no prisoners on either side of the political spectrum.

The whole point of the interview was to discuss the issues of the new expenses system, not to query the hierarchy. In fact, the interview itself proved that the organisation actually does need a Communications Director and really the question shouldn't have been why does it have one, rather why wasn't that person in front of the camera instead of teh guy they sent (sorry, forgot his name, but thought he handled himself well).

Another thing that let it down was that there was clearly an agreement for it not to turn into a confrontation between IPSA and the MP chosen for the interview and that blatantly failed due to an MP not being able to restrain himself.

Quite frankly the whole IPSA setup is a joke and should have had its remit and processes sorted under the last Government, so that it would be clear from day one what could be claimed in advance and what should be claimed retrospectively. They and the MP's only have themselves to blame for this.