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Nick Soames claimed £200 taxpayers’ cash on buying in “speech-writing” services

What would his grandfather have thought?

By James Macintyre Published 24 June 2010 13:35

Another tiny nugget: Nicholas Soames paid £200 to an "N.P. WATTS" (which sounds like it's from one of those ads at the back of Private Eye) for "speech-writing services" (presumably one speech).

He lists this as a "staffing" cost, though the payee is "non-payroll" -- in other words, from outside his parliamentary staff.

What reaction would his actions have prompted from his grandfather, the late, great Winston Churchill, probably the best British speech-giver of all time?

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5 comments

Thu, 2010-06-24 14:33 — Jamie (not verified)

That link doesn't take you to Soames' page - doesn't appear to be any direct link to that sort of thing.

Thu, 2010-06-24 13:55 — Dave (not verified)

Churchill was a great speech-giver, but did he actually write all of them?

Thu, 2010-06-24 15:00 — beak

Yes he did write the majority of them

Thu, 2010-06-24 15:06 — Will Avery

The way the website is designed seems to make it impossible to 'deep link' to an individual claim. I wonder if this is entirely accidental.

Thu, 2010-06-24 16:38 — yoctobarryc

Lets be honest here, Speech-writing is a job that politicians farm out. It's a core process.

Most MPs get their staffers to do it, Ministers have civil servants, so if one MP get someone to help them out, then it seems reasonable for them to be able to claim it on expenses.

Unlike someone else, who thought an iPhone was a credible use of parliamentary expenses...