Expenses abuse undermines vital need (From Stourbridge News)

Expenses abuse undermines vital need

12:00pm Thursday 2nd July 2009

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I WAS very surprised to hear Margot James effectively say, on a radio broadcast, that the MPs’ expenses furore was not an election issue, that Lynda Waltho’s expenses were nothing remarkable.

That is self-evident, but Ms James seems to have conveniently forgotten her press statement of confidence in the honesty of Julie Kirkbride, he so-called mentor and a millionaire, with or without her expenses excesses.

Laudable though it is to support one’s friends, Ms James is guilty of a very serious error of judgement, since Julie Kirkbride has been shown to be dishonest and is now being forced to stand down at the next election (or even sooner if some of her constituents get their way).

Only extremely wealthy people such as Margot James, Julie Kirkbride, a good many of their Tory colleagues and their leader David Cameron could possibly think that MPs’ expenses are not an issue.

Perhaps she meant to say that they were not an issue for her and her fellow millionaires but they most certainly are an issue for the many MPs who come from a less wealthy background.

Expenses were introduced so that ordinary people, the likes of the vast majority of people we pass in the street, could become our representatives in parliament.

Without financial support to live in London, the ordinary man or woman could not possibly afford to live in London and commute weekly between parliament and their constituents.

It is absolutely right that in representing us, our MPs should be well paid and be able to maintain a decent standard of living.

It is absolutely wrong for the spirit behind the allowance system to be abused.

Equally, it would be wrong to be so tight-fisted and penny-pinching that ordinary people could no longer aspire to become our representatives in parliament.

That would be a retrograde step and would result in a return to the days when only the very rich could afford to become an MP – which brings me back to Margot James, Julie Kirkbride, a good many of their Tory colleague and their leader David Cameron.

Election expenses must be an issue because a system must be found which is sensible, uncomplicated and transparent but still makes parliament viable for us all.

The alternative, that parliament would be the playground for a privileged minority, is completely undemocratic and unacceptable.

C Haynes Stourbridge

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