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Islington Tribune - by ROISIN GADELRAB
Published: 6 June 2008

Cllr James Kempton

Kempton’s cruise? It was jolly hard work!

Lib Dem slammed over expenses

LIBERAL Democrat council supremo James Kempton last night defended himself against claims he enjoyed a ‘junket’ to the United States at the public’s expense.
It emerged this week how he jetted off to Boston to take part in a week-long leadership course run by BT last April at Harvard.
He then crossed the Atlantic for a second time in November, this time to San Francisco, for the second half of the training.
Although he paid for his own flights, and BT footed the bill for the course, Cllr Kempton claimed a total of £1,745 in expenses for stays at the luxury Hilton hotel in Boston’s financial district and the Huntington Hotel in San Francisco.
The week in Boston began with a cruise on a yacht along Boston Harbour.
Details of Cllr Kempton’s expenses were published as part of the list of annual council expenses released in the council’s newsletter Islington Now.
Tim Newark, of the Taxpayers Alliance, said: “This seems typical of the junkets that politicians pay for with taxpayers’ money. This is not something that’s acceptable because we keep being told the council is short of money for vital services yet they can find money for things like this.
“If James Kempton needs to go on leadership courses what’s he doing being leader in the first place?”
Cllr Kempton said: “The purpose of the trip was to improve my effectiveness as leader. It’s one of the best courses I’ve ever been on. I had the opportunity to be exposed to the best business school in the United States and probably the world.
“It’s regarded in local government as probably the best course you can go on and to be invited is a particular accolade.
“It’s very hard work – you don’t get the opportunity to go to Harvard and just mess around.”
He added: “I stayed in the hotels where the course was based. They were chosen by BT and everyone stayed there – it would have been churlish not to.
“We had a special rate negotiated. I decided to pay for my own air fare rather than get the council to pay for it.”
In total Cllr Kempton claimed almost £3,000 for travel subsistence last year, with deputy leader Cllr Terry Stacy, second highest on the list with £680.
Labour councillor Paul Smith said: “People in Islington are tightening their belts at the moment, but out of touch Lib Dem leader, James Kempton is wasting taxpayers money to jet off abroad to junkets onboard luxury yachts.
“It shows the greed of the Lib Dems that they can pay for luxury hotels for themselves while they cut minibuses to day centres for older people. And that is on top of giving themselves some of the highest salaries for councillors in the country.”

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