UK politics

[Peikko 1,575]

Link

<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/gordon-brown">Gordon Brown today apologised on behalf of all politicians for the public outrage over revelations about MPs' expenses.

Taking his cue from David Cameron, who delivered a blanket apology of his own yesterday, the prime minister said that he wanted to show that "people who enter our profession are there to serve the public interest, not serve themselves."

Michael Martin, the Commons Speaker, today proposed "serious change" to the system of MPs' allowances amid mounting public fury over claims exposed on all sides of the house.

In a statement to parliament, Martin said there would be independent auditing of MPs' claims in future.

"But working to the rules and the rules alone isn't what is expected of any honourable member," he told them.

"It is important that the spirit of what is right must be brought in now."

An "operational assurance unit" was being set up to provide independent oversight of claims.

Politicians from all parties are appalled by the damage that the stories about expenses claims have done to the reputation of politics and parliament. The revelations show that some MPs, while acting within the rules, have apparently been able to use the system for personal gain and not just to cover their costs.

In the scale of things, it doesn't appear as though these 'allowance' claims are for large sums of money. Interesting though, the question seems to be, is claiming for allowances based on actual expenditure morally correct for politicians? I would generally think that should be the case. Hopefully this will get sorted out now it has become this hotbed of contention

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

From what I understand - its not the individual claims that are the issue so much as the attitude - and that politicians are trying to wring every last red cent they can out of the system (doing it during a recession as well...).

I did laugh at Jackie Smith having to defend herself about expenses claimed for pornographic movies purchased by her husband and a bath plug.

[Peikko 1,575]

Sure, it's good though that the investigative journalism has finally crossed party lines. It was purely about what Labour politicians had been up to, now it's about the Conservative front bench too. If all sides are guilty then there is a chance that there will be some real change which I would agree with. I don't expect politicians to be squeaky clean, but I think it is good for them to be at least seen to be doing the job because they care about the policies on which they vote, and not just because they get a paycheck at the end of the week.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

It'll be interesting to see.

Though Cameron was his usual slimy self - every week he seems to be demanding an apology from the government for something or other. As if he's any better (is he still having his briefcase driven to work by a luxury chauffeur driven Lexus, while he makes a point of riding a bike?)

Incidentally wasn't expenses the reason Mandy had to resign the first time - some reimbursement over work he had done on his house?

That's also a dodgy one - apparently its common practice for MPs to manage two addresses, listing the cheaper house as their "official" residence so that they get additional tax breaks.

Edited May 11, 2009 by Private Pike

[fozzie 41]

From what I understand - its not the individual claims that are the issue so much as the attitude - and that politicians are trying to wring every last red cent they can out of the system (doing it during a recession as well...).

I did laugh at Jackie Smith having to defend herself about expenses claimed for pornographic movies purchased by her husband and a bath butt plug.

The claims were for ridiculously small amounts. It is the priciple of the matter and their attitude that makes this story what it is.

[Peikko 1,575]

David Cameron orders shadow cabinet members to pay back expenses claims

Conservative leader and George Osborne, Ken Clarke and Michael Gove will be among those repaying taxpayers' cash

David Cameron today said he was "appalled" by some MPs' expenses claims as he ordered his shadow cabinet to repay controversial claims and set out stringent new guidelines for Conservative MPs.

Admitting that the actions of some MPs had been "wrong", the Tory leader said he, George Osborne, Kenneth Clarke and Michael Gove would be among those to refund taxpayers' cash.

"Some MPs have done things that were wrong. I don't care if it was within the rules – they were wrong," he said.

"When I read about the swimming pools, the moats ... I am completely appalled, most of my colleagues are appalled. People want something done about this."

Cameron said he would repay the £680 he had claimed to have wisteria and vines removed from the chimney of his constituency home – "the only maintenance bill I have claimed in eight years as a member of parliament" – and put responsibility and thrift at the heart of his expenses shake-up...

Link

Are we fooled by Cameron's new found 'voice of reason'? I think not!

"Let me make this absolutely clear – I've said we want to put responsibility at the heart of our society and thrift at the heart of our government, so we have got to live by those values.

"Conservative MPs that have made excessive expense claims will have to go in front of that scrutiny panel and pay back the money agreed or they will no longer be Conservative MPs."

[Peikko 1,575]

It's getting more like Yes Minister every day:

Link

Elliot Morley suspended from Labour over expenses

Gordon Brown sacks Scunthorpe MP as climate change adviser for claiming £16,000 in mortgage interest payments after loan had been repaid

Gordon Brown today sacked Elliot Morley as his climate change adviser and suspended him from the parliamentary Labour party for claiming £16,000 in mortgage interest payments after the loan had been repaid.

In a move designed to limit any further damage over the revelations, the prime minister vowed to take immediate disciplinary action wherever standards of behaviour had been "transgressed" by Labour MPs.

"Where there is irregularity, it will be dealt with immediately," Brown said at the launch of Labour's local and European elections campaign in Derbyshire.

"Where standards have been transgressed and the evidence has been shown to be there, action has got to be taken.

"Where disciplinary action is necessary it will taken and taken immediately."

The prime minister said the public wanted the expenses system reformed to restore public trust in the political system.

John Mann, who has campaigned for reform of Westminster pay and perks, called on Morley, the MP for Scunthorpe, to stand down as an MP if reports about his claims for non-existent mortgage payments were correct.

Mann told the BBC's World at One that Morley's explanation of what happened was "not credible at all".

"If what has been printed is true, it is truly staggering," he said.

"I can only think that he got so carried away with the system and the laxness of it that he temporarily lost sense of his own marbles."

Earlier today, Morley said he had referred his claims to the parliamentary standards commissioner, John Lyon, to demonstrate that there was "no intent" to overclaim.

"I have repaid in full the money involved, which came to over £16,000," he said.

Morley – who had previously described the parliamentary expenses set-up as a "complete shambles" – said his future as an MP was in the hands of his local constituency party.

He is believed to have first gone to the Commons fees office and to Nick Brown, Labour's chief whip, last week after the Telegraph reported that he had failed to abide by the rules governing claims.

The 56-year-old admitted claiming £800 in mortgage interest for his constituency home for at least 21 months.

It also emerged that the London house he had designated as his main residence between March 2004 and November 2007 had been rented to the Labour MP Ian Cawsey.

In November 2007, Morley changed the designation of his second home to his London property in Southwark – a process known as "flipping" – and both MPs claimed expenses on the same address for four months.

Morley is also facing the prospect of legal action after campaign group the TaxPayers' Alliance called for a police inquiry.

The organisation warned that it would launch a private prosecution if Scotland Yard did not investigate.

Matthew Elliott, the head of the pressure group, said the reports about Morley were "the most concerning and disgusting yet".

"This has gone beyond the question of a flawed system, and the police must now be called in," he added.

"If they do not investigate, then the TaxPayers' Alliance will consider bringing a private prosecution against Mr Morley and any other MPs who appear to have broken the law."

Morley, a father of two, became the MP for Glanford and Scunthorpe in 1987. The seat changed to Scunthorpe County 10 years later.

The previous July, he had his wife, Patricia, bought a house in Winterton, near Scunthorpe, and took out a mortgage.

Under parliamentary rules at the time Labour came to power in 1997, ministers had to declare their London address as their main home, meaning expenses claims had to be made on their constituency property.

Morley, who had served as a shadow spokesman while Labour was in opposition, became a junior minister under Tony Blair when the party was elected to government.

At this time, the mortgage on the Morleys' Winterton home was coming to an end, according to the Telegraph.

The paper reported that Morley began renting his London home to Cawsey for £1,000 a month – enough to cover the mortgage payments.

But the parliamentary authorities were told that the Southwark home was Morley's main residence, despite Cawsey declaring it as his second home . Cawsey said he was unaware of Morley's arrangement.

In 2004, the rules were changed to allow MPs to designate their homes as they wished, and Morley continued to declare the London address as his main home.

The following year, the rules were tightened and the Commons fees office wanted evidence of mortgage payments.

Morley produced a bank statement declaring a payment of £800 to a building society, but it is believed this was actually a payment to an endowment policy – a savings plan MPs are banned from claiming.

In March 2006, the Morleys' mortgage for their Winterton home was paid off, yet the MP continued to claim the £800 as "mortgage interest".

Though most MPs were asked to provide statements detailing their mortgage interest claims in 2007, he did not do so.

In March 2008, the fees office became aware that two MPs were claiming parliamentary expenses on the same property in Southwark and cut Morley's allowance, but he was not independently investigated or disciplined.

In the same month, an official wrote and said the documentation in support of his claim for the Winterton property was insufficient and requested "the last statement" relating to the mortgage for which Morley had claimed for much of the previous financial year.

The MP wrote back within minutes to say he would "see what I can do".

I heard there is a call for the Speaker to resign as well.

[Peikko 1,575]

And, on the other side of the House - this:

Cameron aide quits over claims worth tens of thousands

A Tory MP resigned as one of David Cameron's closest aides today as it emerged the taxpayer had been paying tens of thousands of pounds a year towards both of his homes.

Andrew MacKay apologised "profusely" after he was sacrificed by the Tory leader who described the claims as unacceptable.

Mr MacKay, who is married to Bromsgrove MP Julie Kirkbride, claimed more than £1,000 a month to cover mortgage interest payments on their joint flat near Westminster.

At the same time, Ms Kirkbride used her own second homes allowance to claim more than £900 a month towards the home loan on their family home in Bromsgrove.

Mr MacKay said it had never previously occurred to him there was anything wrong with the arrangement until it was taken up with him by a Conservative audit of claims this week.

He said the designation of their homes had been suggested to them by the House of Commons Fees Office. The arrangement had been in place for "eight or nine years".

"This was all transparent, it was all approved and frankly until it was drawn to my attention it did not occur to me that it didn't pass the 'reasonableness' test," he said today.

"I must say when it was drawn to my attention my first reaction was that the right thing to do was to resign my post, which I did very first thing today with David."

Until this morning he was the Tory leader's Parliamentary aide.

He added: "Looking back now, it does look strange, I have clearly made an error of judgment for which I profusely apologise and I've done what I think is the right thing."

The MP promised to pay back however much money an internal Conservative panel feels is appropriate.

Mr Cameron said the arrangement had been discovered by the party after Mr MacKay submitted his claims for examination.

He said: "The examination revealed a state of affairs which I don't think is acceptable. He will go before a scrutiny panel to determine how much of this needs to be repaid."

The Tory leader described the whole expenses affair as an "appalling scandal" and admitted the scandal had damaged his party.

"Clearly all parties have been damaged by this. We have to put our hands up," he said.

Ms Kirkbride was previously a political correspondent for the Daily Telegraph, which has sparked the latest furore over expenses by printing leaked details of claims.

In a report on its website, the Telegraph said it had been planning to disclose Mr MacKay's claims tomorrow, although the MP said he had not been contacted by the newspaper.

Last financial year, Mr MacKay claimed a total of £23,083 under the so-called Additional Costs Allowance, while Ms Kirkbride claimed £22,575.

According to Parliamentary records, they also claimed for each other's travel costs. Ms Kirkbride took £1,392 under the allowance to meet spouse travel, while Mr MacKay claimed £408.

He said today he no longer claimed for a second home.

From this financial year, he had taken up the much cheaper London allowance instead, given his constituency's proximity to the Commons.

Ms Kirkbride said today her own expenses claims were "permissible and reasonable" and that she understood the public's anger.

In a statement, she said her husband's resignation as an aide to Mr Cameron had been "the right and honourable thing".

"For my part, I believe that my own expenses are both permissible and reasonable and I will make my expense details available for scrutiny by my constituents as soon as possible," she said.

"Parliament is quite rightly coming under intense scrutiny on this issue.

"As Bromsgrove MP for 12 years I want to assure my constituents that I understand the public anger and I hope Andrew's prompt action today demonstrates to people how seriously the Conservative Party and its MPs take these matters."

As Mr Cameron's senior Parliamentary adviser, it was Mr MacKay who was despatched to Strasbourg last year to deliver the party leader's tough new demands for transparency over their expenses.

Earlier this year, Ms Kirkbride backed a controversial attempt in the Commons to keep MPs' home addresses a secret by removing the requirement for election candidates to publish them.

In March, she told the Birmingham Post: "There are people who might have a grievance or a fixation. I'd feel a lot happier not making my home address freely available.

"That seems perfectly reasonable to me, in terms of personal safety and well-being."

Link

[Peikko 1,575]

Falling like nine pins now...where will it end???

Link