Slagging me off is fine but get your facts right
I WAS concerned Mustafa Ali thought I had not been in the House of Commons for over a month when I spoke about the Kelly Report on November 5 - since, for example, two weeks before I was in the chamber getting a private members bill which I sponsored through the Commons.
I'm proud of my new law, the Law Commission Act. It means the Government now has to report back to Parliament on what it has done to implement Law Commission recommendations.
This move means that sensible recommendations from the Commission on how to improve the law will no longer sit ignored on shelves in Whitehall for years.
As I have said before, I have no problem with people slagging me off - but I have to correct people when they are wrong.
I have had to follow up with Islington Liberal Democrats several times to this effect. In the most recent episode, they agreed last week to pay me another four-figure sum and publish another apology after they printed more untrue allegations - this time about my Parliamentary attendance.
The communications allowance that Mr Ali referred to is £10,000 a year, and allows MPs to communicate directly with their constituents. I spent £17,000 last year - having put more than £7,000 of my own salary to supplement my office costs.
I do this is because I want to do the very best job I can, and part of that is keeping in touch with my constituents.
If Mr Ali, or anyone else, would like to find out more about what I have been doing, get in touch or sign up to my monthly e-mail. - Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South and Finsbury, House of Commons, SW1.
|
|
|
|
|
|