Post by ovechkin8 on Jul 5, 2008 10:42:43 GMT -1
What a surprise.
MPs defied public anger over their generous regime of taxpayer funded allowances as they threw out a series of reforms designed to restore confidence in the Parliamentary expenses system.
A number of senior cabinet ministers were among the MPs who voted to retain their controversial second homes allowance and the right to choose luxurious household goods from a "John Lewis list".
They also rejected calls for independent scrutiny of their allowances despite a string of damaging scandals over recent alleged abuses of the system.
Their unexpected rejection of a package of reforms means MPs will be able to continue to use a £24,000 a year allowance to claim for furniture, electrical goods, kitchens and bathrooms.
In the wake of the vote, taxpayers' groups and those parliamentarians in favour of overhauling the system accused MPs of a "total own goal" and of missing a "golden opportunity" to restore public confidence in the House of Commons.
Significantly, several senior Cabinet ministers voted against the proposed changes, which would have abolished the John Lewis list, introduced more transparency and strict auditing control on the expenses system generally.
They included Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, Andy Burnham, the Culture Secretary, Shaun Woodward, the Northern Ireland Secretary, Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, and Caroline Flint, the Housing Minister.
In addition, both of Gordon Brown's parliamentary aides, Ian Austin and Angela Smith, both rejected the proposals, as did the Prime Minister's close ally Nick Brown and a number of junior ministers.
Those MPs who had voted for the changes expressed disgust that their colleagues had voted against. The Tories went further and accused Gordon Brown - who did not participate in the vote - of "sabotaging" the reforms by failing to lend them sufficient support.
Nick Harvey, the Liberal Democrat MP who helped draw up the reforms, said the move was "utterly catastrophic" for the public's opinion of MPs. He also admitted that the vote brought to an end attempts to reform the expenses system.
"It was a total own-goal on the part of the House of Commons," he said. "An opportunity to put our house in order and be seen to put our house in order has been passed up.
"They took all the nice bits of the package but not the ones they didn't like."
Shadow work and pensions secretary Chris Grayling added: "When Parliament has been under fire in the way it has been over the last few months, it is essential our leaders set the right example.
"David Cameron and the Shadow Cabinet voted for the abolition of the John Lewis list whilst Gordon Brown and his most senior ministers went Awol.
"They are showing blatant contempt for very real public concerns."
The reforms to the system had been drawn up by the Members' Estimate Committee following public uproar over a series of controversies in recent months - sparked by the Derek Conway scandal.
The Tory MP was found to have paid his son almost £50,000 from taxpayer funded allowances to act as a parliamentary researcher, despite there being no evidence that he had carried out any work. He was stripped of the party whip and ordered to repay some of the money.
Other examples of MPs who have made controversial expenses claims include Caroline Spelman, the Tory chairman, who is under investigation for employing her nanny Tina Haynes as a secretary.
Last month it was found that husband and wife Conservative MPs Sir Nicholas and Ann Winterton broke rules by claiming £66,000 rent on a flat they owned.
In Northern Ireland, Ian Paisley, the former First Minister, courted controversy when it emerged that he used his expenses to pay his son Ian Paisley jnr as well as his daughters Cherith Caldwell and Rhonda Paisley.
Under the reforms, the Additional Costs Allowance (ACA) would have been replaced by an overnight expenses allowance of £19,600 a year for accommodation. MPs would also have been given £30 a day subsistence allowance without receipts, up to a maximum of £4,600 every year.
The proposed overnight allowance would have been more tightly controlled and could only have been spent on paying mortgage interest, rent or hotel bills and household bills. However, MPs are allowed to spend the existing allowance on a wider range of items including household furnishings, electrical equipment, new kitchens and other improvements to their properties.
The Committee had also recommended "a robust new system" of financial health checks on MPs offices. There would have been a more thorough auditing system.
All claims would have had to have been to be backed by receipts. At the moment anything under £25 does not need a receipt.
It also suggested MPs should no longer be able to claim reimbursement for furniture and household goods or for capital improvements - the so-called John Lewis list.
All these reforms were rejected by MPs. They voted by 172 to 144 to keep the Additional Costs Allowance.
However, the Committee's recommendation for new offices for MPs was approved. The move will increase the annual bill for MPs' constituency offices from £2.8 million to potentially £6 million
Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "MPs have missed a crucial opportunity to restore faith in Parliament. By clinging onto the plasma screen TVs and luxury kitchens allowed by the John Lewis list they have shown astonishing arrogance and disregard for people's concerns.
"When people come to vote at the next election, they will remember how their local MP voted, because it indicates how concerned they are about how taxpayers' money is spent."
Labour MP David Winnick warned that the vote would do nothing for the reputation of Parliament.
"I think this was a missed opportunity which I regret. It gives the impression of an abuse of public expenditure," he said. "That doesn't enhance our reputation collectively, even though the overwhelming majority of members are not involved."
Last night the Conservatives claimed that Mr Cameron had been "sworn at" by a Labour MP in the Commons division lobbies as MPs voted. The Tory leader, conscious that in the wake of the Derek Conway affair he needed to show that he was taking the issue of expenses seriously, voted for reform and ensured that the Shadow Cabinet also backed the measures.
It was also disclosed last night that one in four MPs at Westminster employ members of their families and pay them through tax-payer funded Commons expenses. Three Cabinet ministers and 16 other members of the Government have family members on their payrolls.
In total 177 MPs have stated that they employ family members. However, the number could be even higher as the declarations are still done on a voluntary basis - 87 MPs have been refusing to tell the House of Commons authorities what they employ their staff to do.
Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary and Caroline Flint, the Housing Minister all employ family members.
Among the Conservative MPs included in the list is Michael Howard, the former party leader. He employs his wife Sandra as a secretary.
Desmond Swayne, a parliamentary aide to David Cameron, also employs his wife. David Davis, who resigned from Mr Cameron's front bench last month to fight a by-election on civil liberties, employed his wife Doreen.
Earlier, under pressure not to back an above inflation pay rise, MPs voted for a 2.25 per cent pay rise without a vote and rejected moves to boost pay with a £650-a-year "catch-up" payment.
As anyone knows the day of the real politician is over. They are all good for nothing pole climbers .Unlike most of the population they have guaranteed pensions & plenty of benefits such as free first class travel which means they do not get to experience real life & hence are so far out of touch it is quite untrue.
Only yesteday Jacqui Spliff was banging on again about how crime is down & pretending there will be tough sentences for knife wielding thugs.
Its laughable.11 years of complete misrule. Police morale is at an all time low& you have to pity them being run by a bunch of PC chief constables who are more interested in implementing the PC practises of the Home Secretary than tackling crime.
This vote just goes to show the disdain MPs hold the electorate esp.Labour where at least the Conservative front bench voted for reforms several Cabinet ministers did not.
We have had scandal after scandal ,from the so called cultuer secretray Jowell right up to the Balls creature.
They are in it to line their own pockets as far as I can see. Whilst people who deserve a pay rise ie the armed forces, emergency services , teachers nurses & hospital doctors ,research scientists have to make do with paltry rises they are allowed to do what they will with expenses.
How generous of them not have demanded a pay rise. Theyshould actually for their abysmal performance & handing over elective powers to Brussells received a pay cut.
Image seems to count what with this jumped up PR guru Blair mark 2 with his shiny face & satchel trying to appeal to the masses.
What a horror the Houses are.
MPs defied public anger over their generous regime of taxpayer funded allowances as they threw out a series of reforms designed to restore confidence in the Parliamentary expenses system.
A number of senior cabinet ministers were among the MPs who voted to retain their controversial second homes allowance and the right to choose luxurious household goods from a "John Lewis list".
They also rejected calls for independent scrutiny of their allowances despite a string of damaging scandals over recent alleged abuses of the system.
Their unexpected rejection of a package of reforms means MPs will be able to continue to use a £24,000 a year allowance to claim for furniture, electrical goods, kitchens and bathrooms.
In the wake of the vote, taxpayers' groups and those parliamentarians in favour of overhauling the system accused MPs of a "total own goal" and of missing a "golden opportunity" to restore public confidence in the House of Commons.
Significantly, several senior Cabinet ministers voted against the proposed changes, which would have abolished the John Lewis list, introduced more transparency and strict auditing control on the expenses system generally.
They included Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, Andy Burnham, the Culture Secretary, Shaun Woodward, the Northern Ireland Secretary, Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, and Caroline Flint, the Housing Minister.
In addition, both of Gordon Brown's parliamentary aides, Ian Austin and Angela Smith, both rejected the proposals, as did the Prime Minister's close ally Nick Brown and a number of junior ministers.
Those MPs who had voted for the changes expressed disgust that their colleagues had voted against. The Tories went further and accused Gordon Brown - who did not participate in the vote - of "sabotaging" the reforms by failing to lend them sufficient support.
Nick Harvey, the Liberal Democrat MP who helped draw up the reforms, said the move was "utterly catastrophic" for the public's opinion of MPs. He also admitted that the vote brought to an end attempts to reform the expenses system.
"It was a total own-goal on the part of the House of Commons," he said. "An opportunity to put our house in order and be seen to put our house in order has been passed up.
"They took all the nice bits of the package but not the ones they didn't like."
Shadow work and pensions secretary Chris Grayling added: "When Parliament has been under fire in the way it has been over the last few months, it is essential our leaders set the right example.
"David Cameron and the Shadow Cabinet voted for the abolition of the John Lewis list whilst Gordon Brown and his most senior ministers went Awol.
"They are showing blatant contempt for very real public concerns."
The reforms to the system had been drawn up by the Members' Estimate Committee following public uproar over a series of controversies in recent months - sparked by the Derek Conway scandal.
The Tory MP was found to have paid his son almost £50,000 from taxpayer funded allowances to act as a parliamentary researcher, despite there being no evidence that he had carried out any work. He was stripped of the party whip and ordered to repay some of the money.
Other examples of MPs who have made controversial expenses claims include Caroline Spelman, the Tory chairman, who is under investigation for employing her nanny Tina Haynes as a secretary.
Last month it was found that husband and wife Conservative MPs Sir Nicholas and Ann Winterton broke rules by claiming £66,000 rent on a flat they owned.
In Northern Ireland, Ian Paisley, the former First Minister, courted controversy when it emerged that he used his expenses to pay his son Ian Paisley jnr as well as his daughters Cherith Caldwell and Rhonda Paisley.
Under the reforms, the Additional Costs Allowance (ACA) would have been replaced by an overnight expenses allowance of £19,600 a year for accommodation. MPs would also have been given £30 a day subsistence allowance without receipts, up to a maximum of £4,600 every year.
The proposed overnight allowance would have been more tightly controlled and could only have been spent on paying mortgage interest, rent or hotel bills and household bills. However, MPs are allowed to spend the existing allowance on a wider range of items including household furnishings, electrical equipment, new kitchens and other improvements to their properties.
The Committee had also recommended "a robust new system" of financial health checks on MPs offices. There would have been a more thorough auditing system.
All claims would have had to have been to be backed by receipts. At the moment anything under £25 does not need a receipt.
It also suggested MPs should no longer be able to claim reimbursement for furniture and household goods or for capital improvements - the so-called John Lewis list.
All these reforms were rejected by MPs. They voted by 172 to 144 to keep the Additional Costs Allowance.
However, the Committee's recommendation for new offices for MPs was approved. The move will increase the annual bill for MPs' constituency offices from £2.8 million to potentially £6 million
Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "MPs have missed a crucial opportunity to restore faith in Parliament. By clinging onto the plasma screen TVs and luxury kitchens allowed by the John Lewis list they have shown astonishing arrogance and disregard for people's concerns.
"When people come to vote at the next election, they will remember how their local MP voted, because it indicates how concerned they are about how taxpayers' money is spent."
Labour MP David Winnick warned that the vote would do nothing for the reputation of Parliament.
"I think this was a missed opportunity which I regret. It gives the impression of an abuse of public expenditure," he said. "That doesn't enhance our reputation collectively, even though the overwhelming majority of members are not involved."
Last night the Conservatives claimed that Mr Cameron had been "sworn at" by a Labour MP in the Commons division lobbies as MPs voted. The Tory leader, conscious that in the wake of the Derek Conway affair he needed to show that he was taking the issue of expenses seriously, voted for reform and ensured that the Shadow Cabinet also backed the measures.
It was also disclosed last night that one in four MPs at Westminster employ members of their families and pay them through tax-payer funded Commons expenses. Three Cabinet ministers and 16 other members of the Government have family members on their payrolls.
In total 177 MPs have stated that they employ family members. However, the number could be even higher as the declarations are still done on a voluntary basis - 87 MPs have been refusing to tell the House of Commons authorities what they employ their staff to do.
Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, Hilary Benn, the Environment Secretary and Caroline Flint, the Housing Minister all employ family members.
Among the Conservative MPs included in the list is Michael Howard, the former party leader. He employs his wife Sandra as a secretary.
Desmond Swayne, a parliamentary aide to David Cameron, also employs his wife. David Davis, who resigned from Mr Cameron's front bench last month to fight a by-election on civil liberties, employed his wife Doreen.
Earlier, under pressure not to back an above inflation pay rise, MPs voted for a 2.25 per cent pay rise without a vote and rejected moves to boost pay with a £650-a-year "catch-up" payment.
As anyone knows the day of the real politician is over. They are all good for nothing pole climbers .Unlike most of the population they have guaranteed pensions & plenty of benefits such as free first class travel which means they do not get to experience real life & hence are so far out of touch it is quite untrue.
Only yesteday Jacqui Spliff was banging on again about how crime is down & pretending there will be tough sentences for knife wielding thugs.
Its laughable.11 years of complete misrule. Police morale is at an all time low& you have to pity them being run by a bunch of PC chief constables who are more interested in implementing the PC practises of the Home Secretary than tackling crime.
This vote just goes to show the disdain MPs hold the electorate esp.Labour where at least the Conservative front bench voted for reforms several Cabinet ministers did not.
We have had scandal after scandal ,from the so called cultuer secretray Jowell right up to the Balls creature.
They are in it to line their own pockets as far as I can see. Whilst people who deserve a pay rise ie the armed forces, emergency services , teachers nurses & hospital doctors ,research scientists have to make do with paltry rises they are allowed to do what they will with expenses.
How generous of them not have demanded a pay rise. Theyshould actually for their abysmal performance & handing over elective powers to Brussells received a pay cut.
Image seems to count what with this jumped up PR guru Blair mark 2 with his shiny face & satchel trying to appeal to the masses.
What a horror the Houses are.
