Thursday 23 April 2015

Broken Contracts with Paul Uppal

Well, it seems like a little public reminder prompted Paul Uppal to pay his internet bill and get his website up and running once more. I think I share the relief and joy expressed by those partaking in this morning's spontaneous parade through the streets, including banners reading 'Thank You Paul', '#Uppalfandom' and 'At Last We Can Read "Paul Welcomes The Autumn Statement" Once More'. No doubt Paul will contact me with his thanks for spotting this oversight when he has a little more time on his hands. Like May 8th.

Sadly, although the site is up once more, it seems that Paul's crack team of spotty private-school interns have lost the passwords for the site and his Twitter feed. 'Recent News' seems to have stopped months ago:


while Paul's two Twitter accounts are similarly bare:

His main account, @pauluppalwsw has managed to retweet someone else in the past few days, but managed a single new tweet in a month!

In more serious news, I discussed Uppal's flyer 'A Contract Between Paul UPPAL and the people of Wolverhampton South West only yesterday. This pompous little document appeared to make legally enforceable commitments on his behalf. Amongst them was this:
I will publish all details of my expenses as an MP on my website.I will continue to publish all details of my expenses on my website so that you can see how much money I have spent and on what. It is important that you are able to trust me as your MP so I promise never to behave in a way that will make you question my integrity. 

Um. It may be a little late for that. I note that he doesn't mention monies he receives (such as the United and Cecil Group: clearly anonymous donations from shady people none of your business) but at least he now has a website once more. Acting on a tip-off from @bruno_di_gradi, I had a look at PaulUppal.co.uk in search of his expenses. Under 'about', there's a section marked 'Expenses'. Let's have a look shall we?


Now my English isn't perhaps up to the kind of close analysis required at this level, but I can't help that there's some kind of gap between a 'contract' reading 'I will publish all details of my expenses as an MP on my website' and a weblink.

But anyway, let's click on the link. Does it take us to 'Paul's expenses on the IPSA website'?

It does not.


Well OK, that's a bit odd, not to say paranoid, but I'll go with it. Let's click the next link. Does it lead to Mr Uppal's expenses?

It does not. It just goes to IPSA's not very good homepage.


How many stages does it take to get to Paul's expenses? 12.

I think this tells us how much faith to put into his 'Contract'.

1 comment:

Kat said...

Thank you. I always enjoy Uppalwatch so much. Please keep it up. Kat.