Not a millionaire - but not exactly coated in virtue, either
You would think from some of the headlines - 'MP's complaint ... backed by PCC'; 'MP ... wins PCC complaint' - that a major blow had been struck in the fight by MPs to restore their reputations, tarnished by The Telegraph's revelations about their Parliamentary expenses earlier this year.
In fact, the upheld complaint from Brian Binley, Conservative MP for Northampton South, makes very little material difference to the substance of the Telegraph's original stories.
On 17 June, The Telegraph reported that Binley had claimed back rent on a flat that was owned by a company in which he and his wife held 40% of the shares. On 20 June, The Telegraph reported that Binley had also claimed for 'media advice', including "more than £16,000" from someone who had, at least initially, denied ever being paid by Binley. These accusations do not appear to have been the subject of Mr Binley's complaints to the Press Complaints Commission. Instead, what the PCC has upheld is a complaint that the Telegraph wrongly described Mr Binley as a millionaire, and failed to publish a correction or apology when he provided them with evidence that they were wrong.
In a separate case, the PCC has not upheld a complaint from David Kidney, Labour MP for Stafford, about a Telegraph story about MPs who had paid back money that they have over-claimed on their council tax. (The PCC unhelpfully gives the headline from a story it says was published on 20 June - the story under that headline was published on 19 June, and does not mention Kidney by name; the story on 20 June was, apparently, just a table showing which MPs had paid back money originally claimed on expenses.) Kidney complained to the PCC that The Telegraph had insinuated that he had deliberately done something wrong. The Telegraph argued, successfully, that they had made no such insinuation, but they had correctly pointed out that his multiple claims for the same expenses were 'inflated', 'phantom' or 'dubious'.
All in all, it looks like a victory for The Telegraph - but you wouldn't guess that from some of the headlines.
In fact, the upheld complaint from Brian Binley, Conservative MP for Northampton South, makes very little material difference to the substance of the Telegraph's original stories.
On 17 June, The Telegraph reported that Binley had claimed back rent on a flat that was owned by a company in which he and his wife held 40% of the shares. On 20 June, The Telegraph reported that Binley had also claimed for 'media advice', including "more than £16,000" from someone who had, at least initially, denied ever being paid by Binley. These accusations do not appear to have been the subject of Mr Binley's complaints to the Press Complaints Commission. Instead, what the PCC has upheld is a complaint that the Telegraph wrongly described Mr Binley as a millionaire, and failed to publish a correction or apology when he provided them with evidence that they were wrong.
In a separate case, the PCC has not upheld a complaint from David Kidney, Labour MP for Stafford, about a Telegraph story about MPs who had paid back money that they have over-claimed on their council tax. (The PCC unhelpfully gives the headline from a story it says was published on 20 June - the story under that headline was published on 19 June, and does not mention Kidney by name; the story on 20 June was, apparently, just a table showing which MPs had paid back money originally claimed on expenses.) Kidney complained to the PCC that The Telegraph had insinuated that he had deliberately done something wrong. The Telegraph argued, successfully, that they had made no such insinuation, but they had correctly pointed out that his multiple claims for the same expenses were 'inflated', 'phantom' or 'dubious'.
All in all, it looks like a victory for The Telegraph - but you wouldn't guess that from some of the headlines.
posted by Daniel Owen at
4:33 PM
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