Scandal MP’s son outshines Paris Hilton
A man embroiled in of one of the biggest political scandals of 2007 has re-entered the limelight.
Conservative MP Derek Conway was suspended from the House of Commons in January after being censured by the Standards and Privileges Committee for paying his son Frederick £50,000 of public money for “work” as a researcher.
Mr Conway’s elder son Henry, who is gay, had received similar payments during his time at university, totalling £32,000.
The Commons authorities said there was no evidence of any work done by his sons.
A number of tabloid newspapers focused on Henry Conway’s sexuality, and his father spoke out about the rough treatment he received, branding sections of the press homophobic.
“Yes, he runs a club night at the Mahiki nightclub in London,” the disgraced MP said in February.
“It is his job. He is earning a living. It is portrayed as a gay lad bouncing round London; drink, drugs, whatever.
“One newspaper even tried to suggest that he’d had a sex-change on the NHS.
“It is complete rubbish. These homophobic clowns think every gay wants to be a woman.
“Why should he be pilloried for being gay? He’s my son.”
Earlier this week Henry was in the papers again, but this time for upstaging “socialite” Paris Hilton when she visited Mahiki.
Ms Hilton was reportedly paid £70,000 just to turn up to the club.
Metro reports that she did not arrive until 2am, and that a model called Danielle Lloyd tried to trick press photographers into thinking she was Ms Hilton by arriving in a replica of her trademark blue Bentley.
“But it was another blond who upstaged Hilton on the night,” the paper reports.
“Socialite Henry Conway, 25, arrived at the club in a horsedrawn carriage. [He] caused a stir by stepping out in a flouncy white shirt high-buttoned jacket and black boots.”
To see pictures of his arrival click here.
The Sun newspaper said under the headline “Conway’s son is Mince Charming,”
“Looking camper than a row of pink tents, toff Henry Conway flounces into town in a horse-drawn carriage.”
The fallout from the Conway affair continues, with MPs being pressured into revealing all of their expense claims and submit to more public scrutiny.
Conway himself was kicked out of the Tory party, ordered to pay back £13,000 and has announced he would not be seeking re-election in his Old Bexley constituency.
