News that the Committee on Members Expenses has recommended that MPs should scrutinise their own expenses should come as no surprise. Some MPs have called for the reinstatement of the much discredited Fees' Office which was deeply involved in the revelations in 2009. If these moaning MP's get their way, then we could be one small step away from returning to the old discredited expenses system, which turned the House of Commons into an old fashioned sleazy gentleman's club, and claims for duck houses and moat cleaning would not be far away. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) established in 2010, has made sue that MPs have to account for every penny of taxpayer–funded expenditure.
Since then MPs have been moaning that the system is overly bureaucratic not to mention that some MP's object to having to account for every penny of taxpayer–funded expenditure. The Committee on Members Expenses has called for the Ipsa to be stripped of responsibility for administering expenses payments by April 2012. The Committee (chaired by Conservative MP Adam Afriyie) has accused Ipsa of damaging democracy and called for it to be stripped of key responsibilities. They want Ipsa to simply regulate the system, with a department created within the Commons to control payments - this would effectively re-establishing the old Fees Office.
Oddly enough, I suspect that most members of the public have little or no problem with MPs being required to account for their expense claims in public. The Daily Telegraph, which broke the scandal of MP's expense claims has noted that a recent survey conducted for Ipsa by YouGov for Ipsa suggests strong public opposition to a system of allowances for MPs - 69% believe MPs should continue to make claims for costs incurred and those claims should continue to be published. It is quite amazing at how rapidly out of touched some 'elected' can become once they become ensconced in the Westminster Village.
Showing posts with label Fingers in Pies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fingers in Pies. Show all posts
Thursday, 15 December 2011
Monday, 2 November 2009
LOSING THE PLOT!
Now there is losing the plot and there is losing the plot!
There is disgraced Conservative MP, David Wilshire, who has compared the treatment of MP's over their expense claims to the plight of Jews in Nazi Germany. Mr Wilshire, the man who resigned after having to repay more than £100,000 in expenses to his own company, went on to suggest that the "witch hunt" against MPs "will undermine democracy" - clearly he has lost the plot as well as his seat!
And there is Harriet Harman's who's reassurance to worried MP's that any proposed reforms of the MPs' system of expenses will probably be watered down before they are implemented - clearly she has lost the plot - the loss of the seat may come later!
Now with Sir Christopher Kelly's report, which is expected to recommend draconian curbs on allowances and a ban on employing relatives, pending and it is worth noting that the Kelly recommendations will be only one of several submissions to the new independent parliamentary standards watchdog.
Digging ever, deeper, Ms Harman, the Leader of the Commons, when asked whether the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) could reject Sir Christopher's proposals, Ms Harman, the Leader of the Commons, said: "It is entirely a matter for them, but they will, I'm sure, want to draw on his important work. It is a matter for them to decide, not for Sir Christopher Kelly." That's all very reassuring, but the question is reassuring for who? - that minority of MP's who milked the system to line their pockets or the rest of us who paid for it.
Now by way of quiet comparison, in Wales, a system for expenses for Welsh Assembly Members has come into force, specifically designed to prevent any future abuses. The changes include the abolition of flat rate allowances and in future all claims will have to be backed up receipts. Well done the National Assembly - maybe Westminster should look to Wales for a practical and workable way of putting elected members expenses into the public domain.
However, Conservative AM's have said that they will not support the idea of an independent board to set AM's pay and allowances. Obviously there would not be enough of a change of slipping through receipts for a large comfy sofa or big TV on expenses then! Same old Tories...
There is disgraced Conservative MP, David Wilshire, who has compared the treatment of MP's over their expense claims to the plight of Jews in Nazi Germany. Mr Wilshire, the man who resigned after having to repay more than £100,000 in expenses to his own company, went on to suggest that the "witch hunt" against MPs "will undermine democracy" - clearly he has lost the plot as well as his seat!
And there is Harriet Harman's who's reassurance to worried MP's that any proposed reforms of the MPs' system of expenses will probably be watered down before they are implemented - clearly she has lost the plot - the loss of the seat may come later!
Now with Sir Christopher Kelly's report, which is expected to recommend draconian curbs on allowances and a ban on employing relatives, pending and it is worth noting that the Kelly recommendations will be only one of several submissions to the new independent parliamentary standards watchdog.
Digging ever, deeper, Ms Harman, the Leader of the Commons, when asked whether the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) could reject Sir Christopher's proposals, Ms Harman, the Leader of the Commons, said: "It is entirely a matter for them, but they will, I'm sure, want to draw on his important work. It is a matter for them to decide, not for Sir Christopher Kelly." That's all very reassuring, but the question is reassuring for who? - that minority of MP's who milked the system to line their pockets or the rest of us who paid for it.
Now by way of quiet comparison, in Wales, a system for expenses for Welsh Assembly Members has come into force, specifically designed to prevent any future abuses. The changes include the abolition of flat rate allowances and in future all claims will have to be backed up receipts. Well done the National Assembly - maybe Westminster should look to Wales for a practical and workable way of putting elected members expenses into the public domain.
However, Conservative AM's have said that they will not support the idea of an independent board to set AM's pay and allowances. Obviously there would not be enough of a change of slipping through receipts for a large comfy sofa or big TV on expenses then! Same old Tories...
Friday, 25 September 2009
SAME OLD TORIES
So much for David (‘Just call me Dave’) Cameron’s ‘New Politics’ – some investigative journalism by The Times has revealed that 28 prospective Conservative candidates who have reasonably good chances of becoming Tory MPs are actually working as lobbyists or public relations consultants on behalf of businesses and other interests.
The Times has revealed that over a quarter of them got their jobs after being selected to fight seats. A number have put their hands up to admit that they had set up meetings for clients with Conservative Shadow ministers, MPs and officials. Others said that they provided advice on the party’s direction and some admitted to lobbying Tory Frontbenchers on behalf of clients.
At least one fifth of his 150 parliamentary candidates who are likely to get freshly elected will have worked in the nicely lucrative field of public affairs or communications. Ironically, The Times notes, only 7 Labour and 3 Lib Dem parliamentary candidates (with a chance of being elected) will have had jobs in public relations or communications.
Concerns within the troubled depths of the Conservative Party may have prompted action from Francis Maude, the Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, who last week suggested that lobbyists may face statutory regulation if they did not volunteer more information on clients and consultants, he went on to say:’ “Greater openness and transparency is needed to help ensure high standards in public life” ‘, I think that the jury may still be out on that one…amongst the Tories, but perhaps not amongst the electorate.
The Times has revealed that over a quarter of them got their jobs after being selected to fight seats. A number have put their hands up to admit that they had set up meetings for clients with Conservative Shadow ministers, MPs and officials. Others said that they provided advice on the party’s direction and some admitted to lobbying Tory Frontbenchers on behalf of clients.
At least one fifth of his 150 parliamentary candidates who are likely to get freshly elected will have worked in the nicely lucrative field of public affairs or communications. Ironically, The Times notes, only 7 Labour and 3 Lib Dem parliamentary candidates (with a chance of being elected) will have had jobs in public relations or communications.
Concerns within the troubled depths of the Conservative Party may have prompted action from Francis Maude, the Shadow Cabinet Office Minister, who last week suggested that lobbyists may face statutory regulation if they did not volunteer more information on clients and consultants, he went on to say:’ “Greater openness and transparency is needed to help ensure high standards in public life” ‘, I think that the jury may still be out on that one…amongst the Tories, but perhaps not amongst the electorate.
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