Jacqui Smith, UK Minister, Apologizes For Porn Movies On Expenses

LONDON — Britain's Home Secretary apologized Sunday for putting five pay-per-view movies on her parliamentary expense account _ including two X-rated ones screened by her husband.

Jacqui Smith admitted she should not have claimed any of the movies and said all the money would be paid back. She attributed the mistake to not being careful enough with a service package that included both Internet and TV.

"I am sorry that in claiming for my Internet connection, I mistakenly claimed for a television package alongside it," Smith said in a statement. "As soon as the matter was brought to my attention, I took immediate steps to contact the relevant parliamentary authorities and rectify the situation."

Smith put on her expenses two unnamed adult movies shown on pay-per-view television channels at her family home in April 2008 at 5 pounds ($7) each, as well as three other movies _ two viewings of "Ocean's Thirteen" and one of "Surf's Up" at 3.75 pounds ($5) each.

Smith's spokeswoman said the adult movies were X-rated and had scenes of a sexual nature.

"X-rated is not the same as porn," the spokewoman said, refusing to elaborate. She spoke anonymously in line with government policy and would not release the names of the X-rated movies.

British media reported that the adult movies were watched by Smith's husband Richard Timney _ who said he was sorry for any embarrassment he caused his wife.

"I can fully understand why people might be angry and offended by this," he said. "Quite obviously a claim should never have been made for these films, and as you know that money is being paid back."

Smith is already under investigation by the parliamentary ethics watchdog over the thousands of pounds (dollars) in expenses she has claimed on her home in Redditch, in central England. She says that house is her second home _ with her sister's home in London being her main residence.

The government backed Smith on Sunday.

"Jacqui Smith has done the right thing by taking steps to rectify this inadvertent mistake as soon as she became aware of it," Prime Minister Gordon Brown's office said.

The Home Secretary is in charge of Britain's police and anti-terror forces, as well as enforcing the country's immigration and drug laws.

Comments

[Sikander]

09:32 AM on 04/06/2009

This is a non issue which has been hiped by the British media out of all proportions. We need to talk about the real issue and that is the excessive spending in the UK by using the borrowed money and litany of taxes on the hard working people of Britain.

Tax on the mainland UK is too high compared to other Anglo Saxon economies. In this society hard work is punished while if one is on dole money than one is pampered beyond all reasonable expediences. It is no wonder than that people try to take their hard earned money offshore. Britain must cut taxes and spending and let people have what they deserve.

http://real-politique.blogspot.com

By Sikander Hayat

[provgrays]

01:17 PM on 04/01/2009

No porn please. We're British.

[The Hedonistic Pleasureseeker]

10:44 AM on 04/01/2009

That's odd . . . my comment is showing as approved, but it's not here. Huh.

[The Hedonistic Pleasureseeker]

09:46 AM on 04/01/2009

Just ONCE I’d like to see a female politician, or the wife of a male politician, hold a press conference and just SAY IT: “My husband is a slimy shTbag and I’m so sorry this is in the news.” in response to saidhusband doing X (choose your sauce: Cavorting with prostitutes while wearing a diaper, BJs with interns, buying porn with citizen tax dollars, caught at the tittybar, whatevs) . . . Now THAT would be some good political theater worth watching. Maybe it would inspire useful debate on just how much sleaze the taxpayer should be expected to subsidize on behalf of our ruling class, on top of the lavish lifestyles they've grown accustomed to.

[Watersisland]

02:38 AM on 04/01/2009

Looks like this is the British version of the Palins. She collects per diem for staying in her own home, while hubby lays around all day watching porn.

[postman606]

12:13 AM on 04/01/2009

I don't know why this is a story.

[kashifsaeed28]

04:38 PM on 03/31/2009

What a shame. By the way the Misnister still looks hot, I wonder why was the husband going through all the porn.

My blog:
http://project-you-are-not-alone.blogspot.com

[marlovian]

02:53 PM on 03/31/2009

Just another occasion when that British stiff upper lip comes in handy.

[lizr]

02:44 PM on 03/31/2009

Oh for God's sake.

what a waste of bandwidth..

[Bobrobert]

02:21 PM on 03/31/2009

roflmao

TV in general has as much sex as violence... this is a joke right.

[DakotaMinnesota]

12:44 PM on 03/31/2009

Prudes unite in horror!!

[Gerald Shields]

11:28 AM on 03/31/2009

As long as her marriage is cool, then it's all good, so I'll save my "Big Omar Williams" jokes for another story.

[Xylem44]

11:16 AM on 03/31/2009

Lucky for her, The Obamas are on their way. By 2:00PM tomorrow she could rob a porn video store at g.un point and no one would notice. Hip, Hip..... Hip... Hip Horray!

[perk]

12:09 AM on 03/31/2009

Given that State business takes hours away from the spouses after hours loving, the poor chat should receive some form of compensation for loss of affection. Small price for the Crown to pay for the spouse's service, no?

[escribacat]

05:43 PM on 03/30/2009

You gotta question their taste in movies. Oceans 13 TWICE? They must be pretty bored at home.

[Jared15]

07:22 PM on 03/30/2009

So much for the famous British high brow wit.

[GTFOOH]

09:44 PM on 03/30/2009

So much for the British stimulus package!

[Horst]

11:45 PM on 03/30/2009

Well hubby works for (at 40K pounds a year)....it must be boring.