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MPs' Expenses Anger Black
clouds gather over Westminster as the country is shocked by the arrogance
of some MPs’ expenses claims. The
latest revelations involve the costs claimed by the Labour MP for Hove
& Portslade, Celia Barlow, in moving from Chichester to Hove. Many
would agree that it seems odd indeed that it is actually possible for
an MP to claim for moving costs to a constituency they have chosen of
their own freewill to stand in - the system does need a serious shake
up. For my part, Hove is already my home, having first fallen in love with
the city 35 years ago in 1974, moving here at the time as a teenager with
my parents. I am standing in Hove & Portslade because I know the
city and already live here. I
am pleased that the Conservative Party recognises the level of public
anger over the expenses system involving MPs from all parties. It is a
flawed arrangement and needs to be changed.
The country is perhaps in the deepest recession in living memory
and people are struggling to pay for the essentials, let alone luxuries.
I totally agree with David Cameron that the issue of expenses has
done “much to undermine our whole political process”. This is why I support
his moves to reform the system and call errant MPs to account.
Members
of the Shadow Cabinet will pay back expense claims that have caused
concern – and David Cameron has announced that a new Scrutiny Panel will
examine all claims by any Conservative MPs and decide if the money should
be paid back: Conservative
MPs who 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. It is as simple as that. David
Cameron also announced a number of actions that will apply to Conservative
MPs and will be implemented before the launch of Sir Christopher Kelly’s
report on expenses: ·
An
immediate ban on all MPs claiming furniture, other household goods and
daily subsistence allowance. Only rent, mortgage interest, overnight hotel
bills, utility bills, service charges and council taxes can be claimed by
Conservative MPs. ·
Every
claim made to the Fees Office will be published immediately online,
starting straight away for the Shadow Cabinet and as soon as possible for
all MPs. ·
No
Conservative MP will be allowed to re-designate their first and second
homes for the purposes of the Additional Cost Allowance (ACA) without
approval by the Chief Whip. ·
From
now on, anyone selling a home for which mortgage interest is currently
paid for by the ACA must confirm they will pay Capital Gains Tax on it. We
should remember than many MPs do a good job and
not all MPs have been extravagant, so we should not tar all MPs with the
same brush. But those MPs that have abused the system, must be accountable
to the electorate. The sooner we clean up the system and get back to
focussing on the very serious issues facing the country, reversing the
damage done by this appalling Labour government, the better.
Mike Weatherley Conservative Parliamentary
Candidate for Hove & Portslade
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