British MP paid by RoC to criticise the north?

Andrew Dismore MPAccording to a BBC news story, Andrew Dismore, broke parliamentary rules more than 90 times by failing to declare the hospitality he received from the RoC. He visited the south and then returned to raise issues about the island in Parliament.

“In total, he has tabled more than 200 Commons questions about Cyprus since the last election in 2005, on topics such as missing persons from the island and its victims of past conflict between Turkey and Greece.”

It is estimates it costs UK taxpayers on average £149 to answer a written question.  He also signed motions and led debates about Cyprus but claims his questions about Cyprus were “not sufficiently relevant to his trips to require a declaration.” Perhaps what he means is that eating, drinking and sun-bathing for free is not the same as criticising the north and that the money he received from the south was given to him because they just happened to have some lying around that they didn’t want?

An example of what the RoC are getting for their money can be found on Mr Dismore’s website:

“Andrew Dismore, Labour Member of Parliament for Hendon, spoke at the annual rally for Cyprus on 20th July in Trafalgar Square.

Speaking in Greek, Mr Dismore expressed his solidarity with Cypriots, in opposing the continued occupation of northern Cyprus by Turkey. He expressed optimism, after the election of the new president, President Christofias, and the commencement of discussions with the Turkish Cypriots.

After the rally, Mr Dismore said:

“I was very pleased to have the opportunity to speak to the Cypriot people on the 34th Anniversary of the Turkish invasion.

“It is high time a just and lasting solution was found to the Cyprus problem.

“With leaders both north and south of the green line committed to making progress, there are real hopes for progress at long last, but the present difficulties facing the Turkish government domestically inevitably put a cloud over the prospects.

“It is to be hoped that Cypriot people will be allowed to decide their own destiny, free of interference from Turkey.”

Personally, I don’t think the RoC are getting value for money.

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