Yeah, apparently the reason why she was exposed in the press as being a "dirty, thieving expenses fraudster" was because she was a woman, and not because she was a dirty, thieving expenses fraudster who just happened to be HOME FUKKIN' SECRETARY at the time.....

 

Two MALE MPs have been sent down for a well-earned dose of porridge and a Peer and another MP (again, both male) are also probably going to be joining them... SHUT THE FUKK UP JACQUI YOU'RE DAMN LUCKY YOU'RE NOT JOINING THEM.... <_< <_< And what a bleedin' insult to the thousands of women workers up and down this country who really are victims of sexual harrassment, discrimination and are still being denied equal pay (the latter being something YOU did precisely bugger all about when you were in a position of power in the Cabinet to do so by the way Jacks....), you seriously have a fukkin' nerve...

 

...Now off you pop and enjoy your nice, cushy little media career that you've managed to carve out for yourself since you got your arse booted out of your constituency in the last election.....

She's mad. Easily my least favourite of the recent Labour cabinets, she wasn't particulary good at her job and she has the cheek to swindle so much before blaming it on her gender.

I don't have any sympathy for Jacqui Smith, especially as, even after all the fuss, she didn't even pay back the money she'd cheated us out of in terms of her second-home allowance (she did pay back the money for the porn though).

 

With that said, I do think there was an element of sexism in the way the press reported the expenses scandal. For instance, everyone remembers Hazel Blears for 'flipping' her second home to avoid tax, but the level of condemnation she got was far more than what Geoff Hoon and James Purnell got, who were both in the Cabinet and did exactly the same thing. I don't have any sympathy for any of the expenses cheats, but it did seem to me women got worse criticism.

I don't have any sympathy for Jacqui Smith, especially as, even after all the fuss, she didn't even pay back the money she'd cheated us out of in terms of her second-home allowance (she did pay back the money for the porn though).

 

With that said, I do think there was an element of sexism in the way the press reported the expenses scandal. For instance, everyone remembers Hazel Blears for 'flipping' her second home to avoid tax, but the level of condemnation she got was far more than what Geoff Hoon and James Purnell got, who were both in the Cabinet and did exactly the same thing. I don't have any sympathy for any of the expenses cheats, but it did seem to me women got worse criticism.

 

Sorry, but I just dont buy this whole "sexism" angle, the Press have been utterly merciless against pretty much ALL the expenses cheats (I would say the Duck Island and Moat-Cleaner Guys got it in the neck every bit as much)... And the LAW has certainly pursued the worst male cheats to the fullest extent while leaving the likes of Smith and Blears at large.... Smith has no right to complain, and given what she's doing now (presenting programmes dealing with, ahem, PORN and posing for promotional pictures that frankly make her look like a Brothel Madame) it's a bit of a bloody cheek for her to cry foul, she's milking it for all she can get....

There's no doubt that Jacqui Smith was a victim of sexist coverage at times, for instance where some papers concentrated more on what she was wearing than what she had to say.

 

However, there was nothing sexist about coverage of her expenses claims. Distorted maybe but not sexist. What do I mean by that? For some time - until Labour changed the rules - all ministers had to declare their London home as their main residence, even if they were paying rent to their sister. Jacqui Smith's case showed how absurd those rules were. But, of course, those rules were introduced by the Tories so it would have suited Tory ministers who could declare their London flat as their main residence and their constituency home - covering several postcodes - as their second home. Not that I wish to name any Heseltines of course.

There's no doubt that Jacqui Smith was a victim of sexist coverage at times, for instance where some papers concentrated more on what she was wearing than what she had to say.

 

She can't claim "sexism" now, because she's blatantly playing up to the image for the promotion of this "documentary" of hers... Have you seen the pic...? Seriously, it's just a bit wrong.... -_-