Earlier today LDV reported on The Times’s splash that Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg would be proposing that MPs should be forced to sell their second homes and return most of the profits to the taxpayer. In fact, his plans for reform of MPs’ expenses is far more far-reaching than that, and are published in full over at nickclegg.com, and covered here on the BBC.
Here’s Nick’s reasoning behind his Plan for Reform:
MPs’ Expenses, My Plan for Reform – Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Democrats
The ongoing controversy over the expenses system is having a hugely damaging effect on public confidence in MPs and politics. The behaviour of a small minority of politicians has played a major role in this collapse in confidence, but there has also been a collective failure to agree on a system that is seen as fair and transparent.
In recent years MPs from both the Labour and Conservative parties have voted against proposals made by the Members Estimates Committee to toughen the expenses regime, or have attempted to block Freedom of Information regulation that would see MPs’ expenses subjected to public scrutiny.
It is clear that the status quo cannot now continue. That is why we need talks between the three party leaders to create a swift resolution and introduce a set of rules that would enable MPs to do their jobs and enjoy public confidence. It is important that the system is fixed as soon as possible, rather than waiting for a committee to report in five or six months’ time.
Such a system should be based on clear principles:
* Taxpayers have a right to know how their money is being spent
* All expenses have to be justified on the basis of enabling MPs to do their job
* Reform should not increase, and should ideally reduce, the total cost of politics to the taxpayer.
Nick’s Plan for Reform has earned praise on Paul Staines‘ Guido Fawkes blog (“he has come up with some good reform proposals that most voters would welcome”) and rattled ConservativeHome.com: “It is vital that the Conservative leadership do not allow Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats to lead on this issue and use it as a campaign weapon against Conservative candidates.”
What’s even more vital than tribal point-scoring is that reform happens – for the sake of all political parties and the democratic process.
Yes, this is indeed good stuff. I have already had someone in the comments on my blog rubbishing the proposals claiming they are illogical and a waste of time. I disagree and think they are a very good starting point for the necessary reforms.
The fact that it is garnering support from people like Paul Staines and has got CH twitching shows we are on the right track here.
Has ever Lib Dem MP signed up to the proposals?
If so, let’s get shouting from the rooftops!!!
This is a very strong campaign which will resonate with voters of all parties. Let’s get more action and less talk from our politicians.
Well done Nick
Well done Nick. Any chance of a ringing endorsement from our MPs as well?
This is great news – a serious and radical proposal. I have been campaigning for some time for a total rebuild of the expenses system:
http://campaigns.libdems.org.uk/expenses_reform
PS Hi Jon – good to see you here!
To ask the two most Obvious questions.
1. have all 63 MP’s signed upto this ? If not even a couple saying No will derail the whole thing.
2. What would be really radical and doubtless painful would be to impliment it unilaterally. I really do think a fairly dark “bugger the lot of them” mood is developing and a plan however good will not break through with out a bit of extra credibility. Unilateral implimentation would be one such extra.