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MP urges full expenses publication

4:42pm Friday 16th January 2009 in


MP David Gauke has urged his Parliamentary colleagues to “bite the bullet” and publish full details of their expenses.

The Government announced yesterday that it would ignore a landmark legal ruling and keep full details of MPs' expenses secret.

Ministers provoked fury yesterday when they effectively brushed aside February’s High Court ruling demanding the publication of a receipt-by-receipt break-down.

Parliament will instead attempt to exclude itself from the relevant parts of the Freedom of Information Act – under which the ruling was made – and publish only limited details.

But Mr Gauke, Conservative member for South West Hertfordshire, said today that Parliament’s continued resistance served only to damage the reputations of hard-working members.

He said: “I think it’s only reasonable that we go ahead and publish them – it is the public’s money after all.

“The problem is that not publishing them makes us look as if we have something to hide. We don’t”

“I’m sure there will be stories published as a result that won’t look great for some members but I think we just have to bite the bullet on this one.”

Moreover, Mr Gauke added, full publication would most likely serve to improve the public image of MPs by showing voters that most money claimed does not go on luxury personal goods but on the successful running of offices.

Tell us what you think of MPs' expenses

Comments(13)

redhead says...
7:06pm Fri 16 Jan 09

I thought for a second that the MP might be our Claire and then I thought why on earth would she want to declare the location of her second home and how much she spends on fripperies for it. Silly me.

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Wilkinson says...
7:11pm Fri 16 Jan 09

Too right and they should be forced to pay it all back.

Ward out.

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Roy Stockdill says...
7:26pm Fri 16 Jan 09

MPs are now well below second-hand car salesmen, double-glazing salesmen and even journalists in the public's esteem!

The truth is that a great many MPs have got their snouts in the trough like pigs. They do not wish the public to know about this, therefore they bring in lying and obfuscating legislation to try and hide from people what they are up to.

They are arrogant, greedy and selfish beyond belief and have clearly lost all touch with the people who elected them and whom they are supposed to serve.

I cannot wait for the next election when we can vote them all into the obscurity they so richly deserve.

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Spencer Agneau says...
10:53pm Fri 16 Jan 09

'I cannot wait for the next election when we can vote them all into the obscurity they so richly deserve.'RS
That's interesting, so who are you going to vote for if they are all the same?

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chubster49 says...
5:53am Sat 17 Jan 09

Spencer Agneau wrote:
'I cannot wait for the next election when we can vote them all into the obscurity they so richly deserve.'RS
That's interesting, so who are you going to vote for if they are all the same?
Maybe he can vote for the Tories,like your fellow middle class from Sarrat Spence.Odd that its a tory calling for what is needed.

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Roy Stockdill says...
11:32am Sat 17 Jan 09

Spencer Agneau wrote:
'I cannot wait for the next election when we can vote them all into the obscurity they so richly deserve.'RS That's interesting, so who are you going to vote for if they are all the same?
I will vote for a party or someone standing as an Independent who promises to bring courage, honesty and integrity back into British politics, forces MPs to recognise that they work for US, not the other way round, demands that they respect the wishes of those who elect them and vows to derail the gravy train that the hogs at Westminster have enjoyed for so long. Does such a party or person exist? Personally, I tend to doubt it, which means I may not vote at all.

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crazyfrog says...
7:32am Sun 18 Jan 09

Unfortunatley westminster currently only exists for self serving MPS from all parties, granted there are a few good apples but generally the apple barrell that is westminster is well and truly past its sell by date, i wonder what oliver cromwell would of made of todays self serving politicians? westminster needs a real wake up call like roy says so they know they serve us and not rule us

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Tudor247 says...
9:00am Sun 18 Jan 09

The pity of any of this, and in particular the sense that "they are all the same so I won't vote brigade" is that there will be a successful outcome for someone in each constituency either this year or next. It is too short a time to bring in new law such as on compulsory voting and for a different voting system where the outcome of elections reflect more closely the wishes of the electorate. I think the comments here about most MPs with snouts in the trough is too sweeping, too tabloid. It is a time to be more involved as citizens not to opt out.

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Roy Stockdill says...
11:59am Sun 18 Jan 09

It would seem to me that the simplest solution is to vote AGAINST all those current sitting MPs who support the disgraceful and scandalous proposal to exempt their expenses from Freedom of Information Act enquiries. Vote them out, whatever party they belong to, and support only those candidates who promise to obey the calls for openness and honesty.

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Paradise Watford says...
9:43am Mon 19 Jan 09

You know we deny aid to countries that have excessive corruption and yet the people who govern this country are making themselves look like the biggests crooks going. How hypocrytical. To vote to not publish expenses etc. is disgusting and just tars the lot of them with the same disgusting brush.

Problem is that all politicians ARE all the same now and if you voted all the current MP's out the ones replacing them would be just as bad. How cynical is this thinking and how dissapointing that so many people think this way of our 'leaders'.

I worked with a gent once who advocated compulsory voting but having on the ballott paper a none of the above box. His theory was that it would send a clear message to the politicians that the country was disatisfied with them if the majority vote was for none of the above. He also thought that if 50.01% of the vote was for none of the above that there should be a new vote with the original nominees not allowed to re stand for election.

Sounds good to me

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Paradise Watford says...
10:08am Mon 19 Jan 09

Can I just say that we get what we deserve however. The current crop of politicians we have are a result of many years of apathy towards politics which has encouraged those that are voted in to do whatever they like - usually what is best for them and their own as opposed what is best for the country.

Until we all make a stand then this will continue. Oh, by the way if you don't vote don't moan as you're the worst culprits of all

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Sara says...
1:24pm Tue 20 Jan 09

I hope that all our local MPs will sign Early Day Motion 492, which has been tabled by LibDem MP Jo Swinson to maintain Freedom of Information for MPs expenses.

Maybe all local MPs and candidates could pledge that if elected/re-elected they would ensure full disclosure of their expenses, regardless of what is required. I understand that Sal Brinton has already said that she will do so.

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Spencer Agneau says...
11:27am Wed 21 Jan 09

So Roy will be voting for Sal Brinton then?

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