Speakers' Corner

Brown apology over MPs' expenses

As a representative of all political parties in the United Kingdom, MP Gordon Brown apologized for some of the allegations made by MPs in their use of House of Commons expenses. He wants the inhabitants of the county to have faith in their government again.
Some MP's have entered invoices for items including dog food and a lawnmower.
Alan Duncan – one of Shadow Common leaders - claims £4,000 for gardening costs - including a ride-on lawnmower. Universities secretary David Willetts' claimed more than £100 for workmen; to replace 25 light bulbs at his home, and tourism minister Barbara Follett had claimed more than £25,000 for security at her home.
On Monday 11th of May there will be voted for an independent auditing body to look into all the claims.

Debate

There needs to be an independent auditing body to look into all the claims made by MP's.

Arguments in favour:

- The MP's have been able to claim anything they want: it is part of their job and part of the way government works. With this shake up this will change.
- MP’s cannot claim anything they want anymore. This first needs to be approved by the independent auditing body. They will look into their claims.

Arguments against:

- MP's cannot claim anything they want. Some of the claims being made were:
- Shadow Commons leader Alan Duncan recouped £4,000 for gardening costs - including overhauling a ride-on lawnmower - and that shadow universities secretary David Willets claimed more than £100 for workmen to replace 25 light bulbs at his home.
-Over the weekend, it revealed that tourism minister Barbara Follett had claimed more than £25,000 for security at her home.
- Immigration minister Phil Woolas has threatened legal action over "disgusting" allegations he claimed for women's clothing, nappies and comics.
- The new body would be entirely independent and cost about £600,000 a year to run
- There are concerns that the proposed change to the auditing system would mean MP's expenses would no longer have to be made public under the freedom of information ruling. This means no one will hear about it.

Conclusion:

I am against MP’s claiming everything they want. It is ridiculous. This means normal folk should be able to claim every expense they make as well. I am in favour of an independent auditing body to look into all the claims.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8043447.stm