ChatterBank2 mins ago
Eu Tradition?
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http:// www.exp ress.co .uk/new s/uk/60 0036/Ke nneth-S tewart- dead-EU -Margar et-Euro pean-Co mmissio n-Labou r-Liver pool
Nice to see the offspring of MEPs keeping up the tradition of EU corruption.
Nice to see the offspring of MEPs keeping up the tradition of EU corruption.
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For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.So, the son of a long-dead MEP is a crook who conned the EU. Shame on both entities, the one for theft and the other for failing utterly to apply their own rules regarding the validity of pension-claims.
What point is being made here and what relevance is there in the fact that the con-man's father was Labour?
What point is being made here and what relevance is there in the fact that the con-man's father was Labour?
TTT, the word 'Labour' appears directly behind the words 'European Commission' in the link-address in your OP, so I wasn't accusing you but the Daily Express for its utterly irrelevant inclusion. In addition, I don't think this case has anything to do with corruption but rather with rank incompetence of the employees responsible for administration of the EU's pension scheme. But what the hey!
I agree QM, that in this particular instance the EU administration has demonstrated incompetence rather than corruption. It is Mr Stewart jnr who has been corrupt. The EU saves its corruption to expend in far larger quantities.
"An insider told the Telegraph: "There will be questions asked about this""
Yes I'm sure there will be. Apart from the fraud, one question that might be addressed is the staggering magnitude of the pension (£48k pa following 12 years’ service). At the time of Mr Stewart’s service MEPs were paid the equivalent of a Westminster MP’s salary. In July 1996 they were awarded a hefty increase from £34k to £43k so let’s give Mr Stewart the benefit of this as his final salary. In a generous final salary scheme (such as that of British Airways) a pension of one sixtieth of the final salary is paid for each year’s service) this would give Mr Stewart a starting pension of around £8,600. Even if this had been increased by an extremely generous 5% per annum it would stand today at around £21,700 (or about £1,800 per month, considerably unadjacent to the £4k that the late Mr Stewart jnr was said to have been embezzling each month). This of course also ignores the fact that Mr Stewart snr, the principle beneficiary had died and that most “normal” pension schemes inflict a heft reduction upon that event before paying a dependent beneficiary).
I cannot be bothered to look up the terms and conditions of pay and pensions for MEPs – it will upset me too greatly. The benevolence of the EU in paying short-term employees and their relatives enormous pensions is absolutely outrageous. MEPs have no power to introduce legislation but can only approve or veto that tabled by the Commission. To pay out £48k a year to a family of somebody who stopped doing that 20 years ago is simply scandalous.
"An insider told the Telegraph: "There will be questions asked about this""
Yes I'm sure there will be. Apart from the fraud, one question that might be addressed is the staggering magnitude of the pension (£48k pa following 12 years’ service). At the time of Mr Stewart’s service MEPs were paid the equivalent of a Westminster MP’s salary. In July 1996 they were awarded a hefty increase from £34k to £43k so let’s give Mr Stewart the benefit of this as his final salary. In a generous final salary scheme (such as that of British Airways) a pension of one sixtieth of the final salary is paid for each year’s service) this would give Mr Stewart a starting pension of around £8,600. Even if this had been increased by an extremely generous 5% per annum it would stand today at around £21,700 (or about £1,800 per month, considerably unadjacent to the £4k that the late Mr Stewart jnr was said to have been embezzling each month). This of course also ignores the fact that Mr Stewart snr, the principle beneficiary had died and that most “normal” pension schemes inflict a heft reduction upon that event before paying a dependent beneficiary).
I cannot be bothered to look up the terms and conditions of pay and pensions for MEPs – it will upset me too greatly. The benevolence of the EU in paying short-term employees and their relatives enormous pensions is absolutely outrageous. MEPs have no power to introduce legislation but can only approve or veto that tabled by the Commission. To pay out £48k a year to a family of somebody who stopped doing that 20 years ago is simply scandalous.
You should select North West MEPs of the 1990s to be your chosen specialised subject on Mastermind, Delboy. Mr Stewart obviously did not leave a lasting impression on you. Here’s his obit:
http:// www.ind ependen t.co.uk /news/p eople/o bituary -kennet h-stewa rt-1362 174.htm l
And here’s an extract:
“Stewart took this commitment to the European Parliament when he won the Euro constituency of Merseyside West from the Conservatives in 1984, and it remained one of his hallmarks throughout his time as a Labour MEP.” [He remained as MEP for that constituency until his death in 1996].
So not really a fairy story at all then.
http://
And here’s an extract:
“Stewart took this commitment to the European Parliament when he won the Euro constituency of Merseyside West from the Conservatives in 1984, and it remained one of his hallmarks throughout his time as a Labour MEP.” [He remained as MEP for that constituency until his death in 1996].
So not really a fairy story at all then.