I am very sorry to hear that our current pension minister is under investigation for  spending tax-payer’s money on the promotion of his party in his Blackpool North constituency.

The proper business of Government is governance and we had hoped Paul Maynard would have a clear run through to the end of this parliamentary term (e.g. this year). It would have been good for pensions.

The BBC has spoken to . the Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader, Daisy Cooper MP, who called on Rishi Sunak to suspend Paul Maynard as a minister and suspend the party whip while “these extremely serious allegations” were investigated.

This might help further destabilise the Conservative party but it wouldn’t help the country.

The town of Blackpool has enough problems as it is. It is socially deprived and has one of the lowest life expectancies per capita of anywhere in Britain. It needs a minister of state for pensions too.

And , for heaven’s sake, lets think of Paul Maynard who I have met and know to be a decent man, someone who has battled against a lifelong aliment (cerebral palsy) all his life and one who is liked by everyone I talk to in parliament. It would be possible to think Paul Maynard has got things wrong but I find it hard to think overspending on printed leaflets advertising what his party was doing, prevents him carrying out his duties.

You can read the story in the Times or follow it on social media _with the attendant comments.

EXCL w/@domhauschild

Rishi Sunak’s pensions minister is under investigation for spending taxpayers cash on Tory Party in his marginal seat

Paul Maynard broke expenses rules, lashed out at whistleblower

He spent £160k on printing-more than any Tory MP 🧵https://t.co/iHsI2bR58p

— Gabriel Pogrund (@Gabriel_Pogrund) January 6, 2024

There comes a point where an already dysfunctional Government becomes paralysed. 2024 is already shaping up to being a year when in policy terms – very little gets done.

But it could be a year when the DWP and HMT at least clear the way for the private sector to re-establish the pension in workplace pensions, drive forward on VFM for consumers and put to rights , some of the dark issues of the past ten years – including restitution for the steelworkers.

What appears to be local constituency incompetence is now threatening us with yet another ministerial change, Blackpool with a second by-election and the DWP with more demoralising turmoil.

I hope that this matter can be resolved sensibly and quickly so that Paul Maynard can do with the little time left in this parliament, something to make matters better. I can see no sense in a by-election with a general election around the corner and I see good reason to embrace our current pension minister in 2024.

Can we please put pensions above politics and allow Paul Maynard to get things done?