In a recent post I wrote about the local office staff of our MP, Christina Rees and suggested that one of her employees bore a remarkable resemblance to the man who is likely to be her future son-in-law.
http://www.spanglefish.com/stan/news.asp?intent=viewstory&newsid=85944
Let's cast our mind back to May 2015 when predictably Ms Rees became the new MP for Neath, taking over from the Lord of Nepotism and Cronyism himself - Peter Hain. I've previously written about Hain employing at various times his mother, his sister, and his niece. And I've also related how people he regarded as "friends" assisted in the production of his books, yet these same people were employed by him as members of staff, on public money.
http://www.spanglefish.com/stan/news.asp?intent=viewstory&newsid=79594
It's hard to imagine a clearer case of nepotism, cronyism and scratching each others backs on the public purse. But hey, it's all within the rules, that's the perennial response when you catch them out.
Back to Christina though. Just one month after taking office, if you check IPSA records for expenditure by our new MP you'll find that £229 was paid out in June 2015 on website design and production, to an outfit called C Kearney Web Services. That's not much money for IT consultancy work - probably a day's work - but there it is, nonetheless. Curiously, a Google search of mine found no mention of a business called "C Kearney Web Services" but if there are any sharper-eyed folks out there who can point me in the right direction - I'd be grateful.
Now Christina's daughter happens to be betrothed to a young man whose social media posts suggest is quite a character, and (I'm not pulling your leg) the sort of guy I think I'd welcome into my home if my daughter had brought him here. But that's not the point. His name is Ciaran Kearney (sorry Ciaran but I'm afraid it's needs must to tell this one), and has seemingly been in that relationship with Ms Rees' daughter some time before her mother landed that plum role as Neath's MP. For there to be two C Kearney's associated with Ms Rees and her daughter at that time - well, it's as unlikely as spotting an Invisible Man picking up litter in Bryncoch South, don't you think? They must surely be the same bloke! But yet again - there are no Parliamentary rules been broken, only the rule that I have always followed in my own life (STaN's Law) that you don't do something that will make the majority of fair-minded people point a finger at you and say - WTF is going on here? And by Ms Rees happening to employ a man in a relationship with her daughter it makes me do precisely that.
But we know this apparent cronyism (if Ciaran had married Rees Junior would it be nepotism?) didn't end there because not long afterwards, and certainly by September 2015, young Ciaran was taken on as a full-time Caseworker by his future mother-in-law. A full-time Caseworker, outside of the London area, is employed on a salary of between £16,000 and £26,093. And being on an MP's books brings with it a stunning perk - membership of their pension scheme, a non-contributory scheme in which IPSA would automatically pay in at least 10% of the salary, and still one of the best in the UK.
https://www.legalandgeneral.com/workplacebenefits/microsites/ipsa/
That's worth a huge bump up. Again, because I'm a poor man who has had to work for everything I've got, and never had a mother-in-law who looked after me, plus being wary of vindictive court action, I'd stress no rules are broken - only STaN's Law again.
But whether or not IPSA's requirements on the proper procedures for staff recruitment were followed, that's a different matter and a good question. And the only way we shall ever find that out is if we asked Ms Rees herself. Because IPSA won't tell you, being as useless as a grave robber in Margam Crematorium. I asked IPSA this exact question when Stephen Kinnock employed Hain's former Office Manager in May 2015. And the ball was swiftly thrown back into the MP's court to answer. In other words, we might have our procedures but if MPs choose not to follow them, please don't ask awkward questions. Now piss off! That's a fine example of an MPs' Watchdog. More the MPs' bloody Lapdog!
So, were they followed? Where was the job advert placed? Because IPSA require MPs to "advertise the vacancy". How many applied, who vetted the applications, were interviews carried out? Because again, IPSA require the MP to "conduct appropriate assessments to ensure you have the best candidate for the role".
Extract from IPSA Guidelines for MPs employing staff
With Ms Rees being rather unexpectedly promoted to the position of Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, the fifth such encumbent since the General Election in May 2015, and previously being Shadow Justice Minister, what a pity it would be if it turned out that basic procedures for staff recruitment weren't followed - to the benefit of her future son-in law. She can take the ostrich-like attitude of Stephen Kinnock and ignore the question, or quite easily clear up any doubt about this with a short statement. Frankly - on this one I genuinely wouldn't mind if our MP laid my concerns to rest.
However, the same questions apply to the employment of the other two members of staff in the Neath office of Ms Rees, both of whom are now candidates for Welsh Labour in the May elections - Mr Dean Cawsey (or "Banwen's Finest" or "Banwen Boy" as Ms Rees frequently refers to him) and Mrs Leanne Jones. Dean is standing in the Onllwyn ward, Leanne in Tonna. The public, who actually pay the wages (and pensions) of these people and Ms Rees, have a right to know if the proper process has been followed or if corners have been cut - for some unknown reason. But somehow, I just don't think there'll be full transparency here. I'll let you ponder why.
Finally, here's a nice recent photo of Christina, Banwen Boy and her Caseworker outside a Neath cafe. I'm getting a little worried about the number of photos posted by my Labour friends which are connected to eating and drinking in Neath's hostelries, and sometimes those further afield. A cup of coffee and a piece of cake is a very occasional treat for Mrs Stan and me, but then again, we ain't on the public payroll. But this lot seem to be insatiable, posting of mealies here, drinkies there, with the regularity of the rising and setting sun. Some of these Labour guzzlers would put the gannets of Grassholm Island to shame.
Ms Rees and office staff supporting yet another Neath hostelry -
Tweet "liked" by Councillors Lockyer and Harvey. Lockyer in first this time!
I love that hashtag #workingtogether. I think I've said enough.........
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In the second part of this article I shall return to tell you a story about my favourite subject of all, Baron Hain of Neath. It's a ne'er-been-told, historical Tale of Nepotism, propped up with the spending of public money, that might put your blood pressure up a few points. But knowing how Hain operated, it shouldn't surprise you too much.
