Donaldson’s website down
As Nevin points out, Jeffrey Donaldson’s website “is currently being upgraded”. However, the website is still online apart from the domain name, with the redirect to the homepage simply being overwritten, so the homepage is still visable. Right at the bottom are the words: “This website is funded from Parliamentary allowances”, a phrase repeated on Mr Donaldson’s flatmate’s website. However Sammy’s website looks somewhat different to Jeffrey’s, as does Mark Durkan’s. For one thing, there is no invitation to buy a book on anyone else’s website.
Michael, rumours that Jeffrey may have been seeking sanctuary in the local Women’s Aid refuge are without foundation.
Michael
The parliamentary allowance involved is the Communications Allowance – up to £10,000, IIRC.
That allowance cannot be used for party political purposes, which is why no party logos or mentions appear on the websites concerned.
Same for the UUP’s independently minded Sylvia Hermon.
That’s also a large part of the reason why Sinn Féin MPs don’t claim it.
Having viewed the Donaldson homepage, that may also explain why the website is currently being upgraded.
Simon Hamilton is also undergoing reconstruction
http://www.simonhamilton.org/
yet can be ‘indexed‘
Jeffrey Donaldson is not the only MP whose website is under urgent repair in the wake of the expenses scandal.
Alasdair McDonnell, the South Belfast MP and MLA claimed £1,711 for his website in 2008 but his Westminster work appears to have ended long ago while the page entitled, “What Dr. McDonnell is doing in the Assembly” contains no text at all!
And it is not as if he is short of staff since he claims enough for a small army of helpers.
Last year he got £94,769 from Westminster and £50,967 from the Assembly – a total of £145,736 for employees’ salaries.
Who are they and what do they do all day?
After a critical letter in the Irish News last week, we are now promised MP and MLA action since his staff were sufficiently embarrassed to add on 1 July, “This website is currently under construction and will be relaunched shortly.”
Those 11 words are still followed by the MP’s last parliamentary question of 2 June 2008 asking the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many adolescent mental health beds are available in each health board area?
Double jobbing is so exhausting.
Slightly off topic but didn’t realise he was on the Privy Council. Impressive for one so relatively young.
Had a little look at his homepage there. It seems to infer that time began in 1997 when wee Jeffrey was elected, and that all the postive things to have happened in Lagan Valley were because of him.
Puts me in mind of new Labour
Does anyone know what pay-per-view films he was watching
Dewi, there are certain formalities about becoming a Privy Councillor which are not age related; e.g. being a Cabinet Minister. So not necessarily impressive. And the appointment is for life.
zoon politikon….possibly ‘how to be a porn again christian’ jeffrey has smugness and pomposity down to a fine art.
Michael, it seems that the, er, homepage et al are no longer available – unless you want to have a wee peep in cache – for a little something on ‘wrongdoers‘.
Oh you’re very naughty, Nevin.
Joe, will Jeffrey plead with Gordon that he be given this medicine?
Why should the democrats in the Province be punished because others refuse to abide by the rule of law?
So Jeffrey spent hundreds watching ‘Lion, the witch and the wardrobe’. Come off it! Hilarious. Even back then dvds were next to nothing anyway, watch them at home with your family not in the hotel.
Just checked the kids video library. JD claims ot have watched these in 2004. Lion, Witch and Wardrobe wasn’t actually released until the end of 2005. maybe Jeffrey should look in his wardrobe for a new excuse ;-D
The ‘Daily Telegraph’ did not provide any clear evidence of what Mr. Donaldson actually watched, it leaves the reader a bit disappointed! Ironically for now, this story is a bit like a porn flick, plenty of promise to start with but ends in a bit of an anti-climax!
maybe wee jeffrey keeps his blue films in the store room a la folks on the hill [they would have had a field day with this lot].
Does anyone know what pay-per-view films he was watching
Posted by Zoon Politikon on Jul 05, 2009 @ 10:22 PM
Dumbo, Pinocchio and Snow White.
The UUP’s (uup.org)PantsOnFire website has a handy list of what Jeffrey may have been watching.
WhiteKnight