MP is for Money Problems?

Ignoring the fact that it completely jumps the gun on the Governments own-appointed Kelly Review and that it seems to have been announced to provide the government with at least one afternoon of ‘feel good’ news, Brown's announcement of reform to MP's expenses could create more problems than provide solutions.

We should start on the premise that:

—all MPs enter the House of Commons as equals;

—all MPs enter the House not for their own advancement but the advancement of their constituents; and

—expense indulgence is not widespread, despite the wave of recent controversies.

With this in mind to impose a London ‘supplement’ would create a two-tier Parliamentary system not to mention the legalistic nightmare of defining which MPs lived within a ‘reasonable distance’ of Westminster and which did not.It would make prospective candidates in Liverpool think very differently to those in Luton and our system would be very much the poorer for this.

On the question of staff, it is wrong to wrest employment freedom from MPs themselves. MPs have to work with people they can trust and ideally like at least on a professional basis. It is wrong to suggest that there is deliberate nepotism going on across the Green benches. If an MP's spouse or child is the best candidate for the job then they should be given the job. To bar someone because of their blood ties would be ludicrous. Of course once such employment was granted it must comply with general employment practices. Further it would be wrong to appoint a son/father/brother, wife/mother/sister just because of the ties that bind.

On the question of outside interests, any reform should not be ‘green eyed’ but focused firmly on the system that can provide optimum value to the country. For this reason to say MP's can and should only work for the House is petty partisanship. Of course there comes a point when all MPs should sit down and think about their commitments and their professional impartiality, but as far as I am aware no MP is yet in a position where they need to do so.

MPs do an extraordinarily challenging job. We must ensure that we give them all the tools they need rather than raiding their tool box.