Now David Parsons turns up in South Holland and The Deepings

From the Leicester Mercury:

Former Leicestershire County Council leader David Parsons has been selected to fight a south Lincolnshire parliamentary seat for UKIP in May’s general election. 

Mr Parsons has been chosen as the party’s candidate in South Holland and The Deepings two months after quitting his campaign to become a UKIP MP in North West Leicestershire. 

The former Tory politician defected to UKIP after quitting as Conservative leader at County Hall in 2012. 

He was chosen for the Lincolnshire seat by UKIP branch members on Saturday. ... 

Mr Parsons told the Mercury: “I am an A-list parliamentary candidate and I have been asked to apply for seats."

Leaving aside the unworthy question about what Ukip's B list can be like, I recommend voters in his new constituency to have a good read of the posts tagged David Parsons on this blog.

County council launches proceedings against David Parsons

Read the Leicester Mercury for the latest twist in the saga of David Parsons - former Conservative leader of the county council and former Ukip prospective parliamentary candidate:

Legal proceedings have been launched against former Leicestershire County Council leader David Parsons to recover £1,500 he still owes the authority. 

Officials at County Hall say Mr Parsons has stopped paying monthly installments to clear the costs of 26 trips he made using the council’s chauffeur-driven car during his nine-year stint as leader. 

The trips were deemed "not sufficiently connected" to his role as leader after an investigation by officers. 

Officials found two more trips were deemed to be inappropriate for the use of the council chauffeur, because of the short distances involved.

Much more about David Parsons on this blog.

David Parsons stands down as Ukip candidate for North West Leicestershire

David Parsons, who discovered deep issues of principle after he was deposed as leader of the Conservative group on Leicestershire County Council and joined Ukip, has stood down as his new party's candidate for North West Leicestershire.

The Leicester Mercury has the news.

I wonder if Mr Parsons' record proved too colourful even for Ukip?

Now Ukip chooses David Parsons as a parliamentary candidate

Just when you thought the fruitcakes couldn't get any fruitier comes news that David Parsons is to fight North West Leicestershire for Ukip at the next general election.

Parsons, you may recall, was forced out of the leadership of the ruling Conservative group on the county council after what the Leicester Mercury rightly calls "an expenses scandal" - look at the David Parsons label on this blog for the gory details.

After the Tory group decided that it could no longer support his behaviour, Parsons naturally discovered important differences of principle with them and joined Ukip.

Former leader of Leicestershire Conservatives joins UKIP

A puzzling aspect of the demise of David Parsons, the former leader of the ruling Conservative group on Leicestershire County Council, was the way his party stood by him even after it became clear that his resignation over financial irregularities was inevitable.

Today he repaid the Tories for this loyalty with a kick in the teeth. He travelled down to London, met Nigel Farage and joined UKIP.

The Leicester Mercury reports:

Mr Parsons has been serving as an independent member of Blaby District, representing the Muxloe ward along with his wife, Liz, who has also today joined UKIP. 

The Mercury understands Mr Parsons hopes to stand as a UKIP candidate in the next year’s General Election in a Leicestershire seat as yet to be decided.

Parsons told the Mercury that only UKIP "truly represents the hopes and ambitions of the people in our country".

David Parsons resigns from Leicestershire County Council Conservative group

From the BBC News Leicester pages this evening:

The former leader of Leicestershire County Council has resigned from the county's Conservative group. 

David Parsons stepped down ahead of a group meeting on Wednesday where he faced possible disciplinary procedures from the party.

An earlier post on this blog will remind you of the background to this resignation.

Paintings from David Parsons' office go on show to public

The Leicester Mercury points out another bonus of David Parsons' resignation as leader of the Conservative-run Leicestershire County Council:

Paintings worth hundreds of thousands of pounds which decorated the office of former council leader David Parsons are to go on wider public display. 

Three works of art that were hanging on the walls of the suite of offices at County Hall have been taken down as part of a refurbishment that follows Coun Parsons’s resignation as leader last month.

Parsons created his offices in 2009. In total, £64,000 was spent on them and as the Mercury reminds us, the expense was widely condemned at the time.

Meanwhile, local gossip has it that his house is up for sale.

David Parsons inspires our Quote of the Day

Courtesy of the Hinckley Times come Cllr Ruth Camamile's gnomic words on the resignation of David Parsons:

"I can’t say I was expecting the news but on the other hand I’m not surprised."

Ludwig Wittgenstein adds: Can I get back to you on this one?

David Parsons resigns as leader of Leicestershire County Council

David Parson's long drawn out and very public attempt to retain the leadership of the ruling Conservative group on Leicestershire County Council failed today. Reading between the lines, he resigned when it became clear that he would not win a vote of confidence within his own group.

The BBC report reminds us of the concerns that led to today's events:

Last month the council's standards committee censured Mr Parsons over an independent report which found he had delayed repaying money to a body called East Midlands Councils (EMC). 

It had initially paid for official trips to the continent, but the EU then paid Mr Parsons directly. 

Mr Parsons apologised but initially refused to step down as leader, a post he had held for nine years. 

Last week the county council referred the issue to Leicestershire Police. 

In addition to this, a body called the Corporate Governance Committee is to consider further allegations that Mr Parsons used the council's chauffeur-driven car to attend private functions.

The really surprising thing is that it has taken so long for Parsons and the Conservatives to recognise that his position had become untenable. The county's Liberal Democrats have been on his case since 2009.

I have suggested in the past that the reason for this may be that the Tory group is desperately short of alternative candidates. But I have a helpful suggestion for them.

One of Parsons' less dignified attempts to get himself out of hot water was telling the council's standards committee that s wife Liz was "totally" in control of his financial affairs. Not so impressive coming from the mouth of a man responsible for an annual budget of £400m.

Still, if they have no one else suitable, why not ask Mrs Parsons to take over for the time being?

New blows to David Parsons

The demise of David Parsons, leader of the Conservative-run Leicestershire County Council, has been announced before, but the vultures really do seem to be circling this evening.

First, the Leicester Mercury has calculated that he would have saved the council £24,000 over the past six years if he had travelled to London by train rather than chauffeur-driven car.

Then, more significantly, the Local Government Chronicle - its reporter is one Mark Smulian, whose name seems strangely familiar - reported the following:

Leicestershire Police are investigating alleged financial irregularities involved county council leader David Pasrons (sic). 

It also emerged today that Cllr Parsons has resigned as chair of the Local Government Association environment and housing board, and yesterday that he would not seek another term as chair of East Midlands Councils.

Is that the fat lady clearing her throat I hear?

Robert Wann and David Parsons latest

They are beleaguered. They are embattled. And they are both from Leicestershire. Let's see how they are getting on.

Robert Wann, says the Leicester Mercury, has spoken out after the finding against him by the city council's standards committee:

"I believe it's a stitch-up and Peter Soulsby is behind it. This matter had been dealt with until he became elected mayor. 

"The whistleblower complained to the council. It was looked into and that was that. Nothing wrong. 

"Then the whistleblower took it to Sir Peter when he was an MP. 

"It was not until he became mayor he reported me to standards. I believe he's been running the whole thing. 

"If I'd been there to have my say it would have been very different but I repeatedly said I could not do that date but it went ahead anyway."

Leicester Labour does seem riven with all sorts of personal and political feuds, but note this comment on the posting I made about this affair yesterday.

Meanwhile, says the Mercury, David Parsons - leader of the ruling Conservative group on Leicestershire County Council - faces a motion of no confidence within his own group following the finding against him by the county's standards committee.

Leicestershire Conservatives have been unswerving in their support of Parsons, so it will be a surprise if he loses the vote.

However, the Mercury quotes a "senior Tory" as saying:

"There is a feeling David's position is as weak as it has ever been and now might be the chance to dislodge him. The vultures are circling. 

"The committee questioned his honesty, integrity, leadership and accountability and those are important issues to members."

Just another day in Leicestershire politics.

David Parsons broke code of conduct over expenses

From the BBC News Leicester pages:

The leader of Leicestershire County Council, David Parsons, broke the councillors code of conduct over his expenses, a committee has decided. The authority's standards committee has backed a report into money claimed for official trips to Brussels. It found he did not promptly repay expenses initially covered by a publicly-funded body called East Midlands Councils (EMC).

The story goes on to quote Dr Sarah Hill, deputy leader of the Lib Dems on the county council (and my county councillor as saying: "Mr Parsons has to accept that his position as leader is now completely untenable."

The council's standards committee will now decide what action to take and has the power to censure the council leader. But any further punishment is up to the Conservative group.

Thus far that group has shown a mulish determination to defend Parsons, as was seen when there were earlier concerns over the free use he had made of the chauffeur-driven car provided by the county council. That determination has not done the Conservatives any favours.

One of their senior councillors, David Sprason, found himself obliged to apologise for misleading the council, apparently out of a desire to defend the conduct of his leader. And they have been reduced to politicising one of the council's civic posts.

Perhaps the most damning aspect of today's events was the defence offered by Parson's solicitor. The BBC reports that he said Parsons is "a busy man who took little attention as to the detail of his own financial matters".

That hardly fills you with confidence, given that Leicestershire spends more than £400m every year.
I am reminded of the words of the  words of Lord Hazlerigg, a Leicestershire Tory grandee of an earlier generation, when it was suggested that county councillors should be paid expenses:

“If a man hasn’t the brains to earn his own fare once or twice a month into his county town, I don’t think he’d be much help in administering the spending of a million of money.”

More and more, you suspect that the Conservatives' determination to cling to David Parsons has less to with loyalty than with the shallowness of their pool of talent in the county.

Later. Parsons has issued a laughable statement: "I now intend to draw a line under the matter."

Row over David Parsons' expenses flares up again

The ruling Conservative group on Leicestershire County Council may be regretting its decision to stand by David Parsons. Questions about his expenses continue to flutter around his head like homeless bats.

Today's Leicester Mercury details two more - and Liberal Democrat councillors have asked both of them.

My old colleague from Harborough DC Simon Galton, now the leader of the Lib Dem group on the county council, has asked the first. He wants to know why Parsons has refused to allow EU officials to pass County Hall auditors the records of payments made to him in connection with his work for East Midlands Councils at the EU Committee of the Regions.

The Mercury quotes Simon as saying:

"David Parsons said that releasing these records would clear his name, so why is he still refusing to allow them to be handed over? I think if he's got nothing to hide then he should allow the EU to hand over the records to the council's financial experts."

Mr Parsons answer, as given by the Mercury, is that his lawyers have advised him not to hand the documents to the council's auditors as he has already given the external Standards Board investigators permission to look at them. He denies any wrongdoing and the sums in question have all been repaid.

The second question comes from Lib Dem county councillor Bill Boulter, who asked officers to examine the recently published list of Parsons' journeys in the chauffeur-driven civic car. Looking at a sample 22-month period, they found a further 27 that had not been included.

David Parsons still in hot water

David Parsons, the Conservative leader of Leicestershire County Council, survived the special meeting called to demand his resignation on 18 April after the voting split along party lines.

But that meeting did not mark the end of this affair. Today's Leicester Mercury reveals that Parsons used his car and chauffeur to go to his daughter's wedding, but made no payment was made to the council afterwards.

Surely Leicestershire Conservatives could find an alternative leader who would not be a positive embarrassment to them?

David Parsons faces vote of no confidence at special meeting

David Parsons, the Conservative Leader of Leicestershire County Council, will face a vote of no confidence at special meeting on 18 April. This follows the revelation that he has cost taxpayers more than £1m in expenses and allowances over the past five years.

Today's Leicester Mercury quotes Simon Galton, the Lib Dem leader on the council:

The reputation of the council is at stake and we've got to the stage where a public debate is needed about the leader's future. 

"The uncertainty surrounding the leader's position is starting to impact on the day-to-day business of the council. 

"When you sit down with a senior officer to discuss an issue the first thing they want to know is what's going to happen to David Parsons."

Parsons' response, again as quoted by the Mercury, is:

"This is a political stunt. The Conservative group will unite and I think I will remain as leader."

Given that there were calls from Parsons' fellow Tories for him to go last month after earlier allegations of irregularities over his expenses, I do not fancy his chances of surviving.

The Lib Dems have been on David Parsons' case since 2009

We saw on Friday that David Parsons, the Conservative leader of Leicestershire County Council, was under pressure to resign after the revelation that he had cost taxpayers more than £1m in expenses and allowances over the past five years.

The latest news is that Parsons has announced that he is giving up his chauffeur-driven car, but this has not stopped a Labour councillor calling for an extraordinary meeting or the leader of the Lib Dem county group Simon Galton backing his call.

But it turns out all this is old news. Because the Liberal Democrats have been on Parsons' case since 2009.

Here is the lead story from a tabloid newspaper (kindly sent to me today by a reader) that the Hinckley and Bosworth party put out during the county council elections that year:

Conservative bosses on Leicestershire County Council have come under fire after official figures reveal they spend nearly £20,000 per year on providing a chauffeur driven limousine for the Tory Leader. 

County Hall also spends a staggering £245,000 on public relations each year. 

Liberal Democrats in Hinckley and Bosworth have slammed these figures as a “breathtaking waste of public money.” 

Chairman of the local Lib Dems Cllr Stuart Bray said, “Since the Conservatives took over the County Council in 2001, the average Council Tax bill has gone up by over £235. We believe it is scandalous that the Conservatives waste public money in this way. 

“At a time when everybody is tightening their belts and worrying about their jobs we are calling on Tory bosses to scrap this extravagance and concentrate on keeping bills down.”

Taxi for David Parsons, Tory leader of Leicestershire County Council

Last month I reported that the Liberal Democrat group on Leicestershire County Council had called for the resignation of the body's Conservative leader David Parsons over alleged expenses irregularities.. And informed gossip suggested that his own group was not much keener on him.

Parsons survived that crisis, but he is under renewed pressure today after the Leicester Mercury's revelation that he has cost taxpayers more than £1m in expenses and allowances over the past five years.

At a time when his council is making £74m cuts, Parsons has made extensive use of a chauffeur-driven car:

Trips included media appearances, theatre visits, cocktail parties and journeys which would arguably have been quicker or cheaper by train. 

He arrived at Radio Leicester’s studios on January 9 for an appearance on Desert Island Discs in the civic car. 

For the past three years, he has been driven to and from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. 

In April, he used the car to visit Curve theatre, Leicester, for a performance of Yes Prime Minister. 

Other theatre visits included a performance of The Little Mermaid, in May 2006. 

The documents released show that in June last year, as he vied to become chairman of the Local Government Association – the most powerful role in local government – he used the car and driver to go to London to have lunch with a leading local government reporter. 

When he flies abroad on council business from Heathrow, a car usually takes him door to door. 

Other events attended in the car included drinks receptions, cocktail parties, a tour of Twycross Zoo, TV appearances and concerts.

Not surprisingly, the Liberal Democrat group spokesman David Bill has said:

"We query whether the amounts spent on travel are value for money for residents in Leicestershire at a time of cuts and austerity."

Taxi for Mr Parsons!

Lib Dems call for resignation of David Parsons, the Conservative leader of Leicestershire County Council

Yesterday I blogged about the calls on David Parsons, the Conservative leader of Leicestershire County Council, to resign.

LocalGov.co.uk has not published more details of the affair:

Leicestershire leader David Parsons faces a crunch meeting over his future today after internal investigation following whistle-blowing allegations suggested a "technical breach of the county council’s Code of Conduct" and a potential breach of the Companies Act.

The website goes on to say that earlier this week Cllr Parsons told its sister publication The MJ that there was "no money owing" over his travel expenses, and that he was "very willing to co-operate" with the standards investigation.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrat group on Leicestershire County Council has called on him to resign:

The Liberal Democrat group believes that the additional allegations, combined with Mr Parsons attitude regarding those allegations and his lack of transparency have eroded the reputation of the Council and the office of Leader of the Council. We therefore strongly believe that Mr Parsons should resign immediately as his position is no longer tenable.

David Parsons on the way out?

The Conservative leader of Leicestershire County Council is in trouble, judging by this tweet from BBC Leicester's Eleanor Garnier:

Conservative Cabinet members @LeicsCountyHall call for Tory Leader to resign. Some threaten resignation if David Parsons doesn't step down

You can read the background to this row in the Leicester Mercury.

Eleanor Garnier has also tweeted that Parsons has declined to make any comment this evening but has previously denied any wrongding.