Bringing Trust back to Politics

There was another article in the papers this weekend about the current Brentford & Isleworth MP's parliamentary expenses.

Members of Parliament in the past, as well as having a budget for managing their offices and parliamentary work, have also been able to claim an ‘Additional Cost Allowance’. This is meant to help MPs meet the cost of maintaining a second home.

No-one would question expenses required for staying in London when an MP is on Parliamentary business at Westminster and when their constituency is not within London. But these expenses have to be open and transparent. This is money coming from the public purse and therefore must be accounted for.

In business, we are required to give receipts for any amount we are claiming… and this should apply, even more so, for Members of Parliament, when their expenses are being paid for by the tax payer. I welcome the changes made last week, so that receipts are now needed for anything over £25. But why £25? Surely receipts should be needed for every cost that is being charged. Also, I do not believe that two MPs should be able to charge accommodation costs for the same house, if they are living there as a married couple. Surely this is a shared second home, so the allowance should be shared.

If we want the public to trust politicians again, then we must act in a trustworthy way. An open and transparent system and an immediate stop to any abuse of expenses, will help make this happen.