MPs Expenses (Watford Liberal Democrats)

Watford Liberal Democrats <info@watfordlibdems.org.uk>

MPs Expenses

May 14, 2009 11:00 AM

Sal Brinton comments on Claire Ward's "MPs in shock at expenses" statement to the Watford Observer

"The revelations in the Daily Telegraph about the moral abuse of the allowances system has brought parliament and MPs into disrepute. I know from talking to Watford residents how intensely angry they are about the whole matter. "Flipping" (the practice of changing which is the MP's second home, and then claiming large amount of allowances against it) is a particular disgrace, as is the avoidance of paying capital gains tax on those properties when sold. I am pleased that Nick Clegg has made it plain that Liberal Democrat MPs will not retain any capital benefit from such a sale, and no Lib Dem MP has been found to have "flipped".

"Claire Ward suggests that the government proposal last week to make some short term changes will restore public confidence, but I think things have gone way beyond that level.

"In July last year, Ms Ward voted against an external audit of MPs expenses, and the year before that she voted to exclude MPs from the Freedom of Information Act, which would have had the effect of keeping all the expense details secret. Fortunately, FOI campaigners challenged this in the High Court.

"I believe that all MPs should publish all their expense details, because we, the taxpayers, are funding them. I hope that Ms Ward is prepared to admit that her previous voting position was wrong, and that she will now publish her own expenses on-line immediately and as a matter of course i the future.

"I repeat my own promise to the electors in the Watford constituency that if elected as the local MP, I would not have a second home, and I will publish my expenses on-line as and when they are claimed."