The Conservatives lack joined up thinking.

In the week that Eric Pickles, Communities and Local Government Minister, announ-ced a multi million pound fund to assist councils to tackle fraud, we learn that Tory-led Essex County Council is not taking action to recover monies fraudulently claimed by ex Tory Leader Lord Hanningfield.

Now banned from attending the Lords and claiming £300 a day for just signing in, the ignoble Lord, aka Paul White, will not be pursued for in excess of £50,000 he falsely claimed – why?

Is it because there was a complete lack of financial internal controls whilst he led the Tories?

If this is the case then those councillors past and present that allowed him to prosper should be surcharged.

Michael McGough UKIP prospective parliamentary candidate for Brentwood and Ongar, Wellfields, Loughton.