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Brown withdraws bid to keep MPs' expenses secret
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent21 Jan 2009
GORDON BROWN was forced into an embarrassing climbdown today over attempts to keep details of MPs' expenses secret.
The Prime Minister had ordered Labour MPs to back moves to partially exempt themselves from freedom of information laws so they did not have to publish receipts for their expenditure on second homes, travel and offices using taxpayers' money.
Commons leader Harriet Harman was instead proposing that their spending of public money should be listed in 26 categories including hotel costs, mortgage interest payments, council tax, fixtures, fittings and furnishings.
This amended system would have allowed MPs to conceal the use of public funds to pay for plasma TVs, gardeners and window cleaners.
But the Conservatives today refused to support the parliamentary order to change the FOI laws and it also faced being killed off in the Lords.
Faced with this, Mr Brown, after consultation with Ms Harman and chief whip Nick Brown, decided to pull the order on which they had imposed a three-line whip forcing Labour MPs to vote for it. The saga risked further damaging Parliament's reputation as critics will accuse Cabinet ministers and MPs of seeking to maintain a cloak of secrecy over their expenses at a time of economic crisis for the country.
Rebel Labour MP Kate Hoey, who was opposing Ms Harman's proposal, said: "The Government was silly to even think of changing the FOI laws."
The first sign of the government retreat came at Prime Minister's Questions when Mr Brown was accused by Tory backbencher Douglas Carswell of proposing "one law for the people and another for the politicians".
Mr Brown said the Government was supporting greater transparency over MPs' allowances, by expanding the category of expenses and better auditing. But he also admitted there was no longer "agreement" over the FOI changes.
He said more consultation would take place but Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said: "This is a humiliating climbdown after he was forced to accept that people will not tolerate MPs continuing to act like members of a secret society."
MPs will tomorrow still get a free vote on publishing expenses in 26 categories. But the details, down to individual receipts, will still be obtainable under FOI laws after Commons Speaker Michael Martin lost a High Court ruling on this issue.
Reader views (17)
Well done Scott Rimmer. I'm sure most of us griping poms would join you in Australia if we could.
- Doug Watt, london, 22/01/2009 14:23
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why do we tolerate sly scheming self interested Brown ?? He has systematically screwed all of the tax paying public for 11 years,in concert with those wastes of space like Blair, Prescot,Harmon.These people and their like have dragged this country down. Never mind saving the world Gordon,save us and get lost,preferably before you waste any more of taxpayers money with potty schemes that fly in the face of common sense,
- Barrie, leicester UK, 21/01/2009 17:12
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as an honest member of the public paying some of the highest tax rates in the world on pretty much everything we try to buy, find it hard to believe that we have to pay for an already overpaid and underworked group of MP's. it is getting so bad that most of my friends who choose not to work are much better off? i think that a justify your job scheme should be put into p[lay and all members of parliament should be made to justify why they are earning so much for doing so little?
if we were to say for example pull out of the war which has nothing to do with our country and let sleeping dogs lie(which was the case for so many years) we would be so much better off financially. it has been done before when we decided to blow up germany and then as an offer of good will, pay for the repairs, and wonder when ot will end? how long will it be before we end up paying for the repairs which the entire united nations have done to afganistan? i myself have just about had enough of it all and have chosen to opt out of england with a migration to australia in the pipeline! which is in my opinion and most of my friends is the only option left to do now.
- Scott Rimmer, blackpool, lancashire, 21/01/2009 17:02
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Unfortunately the Government and a lot of MP's seem to think they can live of our money without having to justify what they claim ! What other public organisation would be allowed to operate like this.
Thank God the Appeal court thought otherwise.
- Paul Gibbins, peterborough cambs, 21/01/2009 17:01
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I am appalled at this sleazy government trying, yet again, to hide their expenses details.What is it about lack of electorate trust they don't understand. When I claimed expenses I needed receipts for every penny spent. Why do MPs think they should be treated differently from the rest of us?
This is the worst government and Prime Minister in living memory, go now and good riddance.
- Don Thomas, Coventry, 21/01/2009 16:50
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Heaven forbid that those telling us to tighten our belts should be found to have the greedy gene. Few can resist the temptation of "you are entitled to this" whether they want/need it at all. Grabbing everything available to them and of the best quality, when the hard-working public contributing to their second homes have to think very hard about replacing old/worn out items is a disgrace. They should be ashamed, and shown up for what they really are. We might be pleasantly surprised by those who dont feather their nest at our expense. These are the ttruly principled representatives of the public.
- Marlise Blake, Bingley UK, 21/01/2009 16:46
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I and most other Honest working people in this country have to show all reciepts for expenses we are able to claim in the course of our work, or we will not get them refunded, the difference between the honest working people in the country and the MP's is the word "Honest" they are just out and out cheats and we are sick of it.
- Nigel, LEICESTERSHIRE, 21/01/2009 16:42
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Labour are transparent all of the time anyway.
I can see right through them all.
- Steve, Braintree UK, 21/01/2009 16:38
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The joy in Washington to see Bush depart will be nothing compared with the moment in this country when Brown and his duplicitous, sleazy and totally incompetant govenment follow suit. If only we'd never got rid of the pillory...
- Mike L, Chichester UK, 21/01/2009 16:28
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Just looking at Gordon Brown as he opens his mouth to break even more pledges and tell more lies is just sickening !!
- Mike Hale, Nantwich - Cheshire, 21/01/2009 16:27
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as usual as soon as they become mp/s they think they can do anything is there any wonder nobody trusts them anymore
- James Stapleton, jacksdale notts, 21/01/2009 16:26
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It is about time the Law moved in to send some of these polititions to prison. We have frequent actions reported of dodgy transactions related to these people and no one is ever succesfully prosecuted.It is really about time we organised nationally to fight for our rights.
- Don Rogers, Lichfields. Staffordshire., 21/01/2009 16:25
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What a waste of space Brown, Harperson and the rest of Labour's lightweights are. They accuse the Conservatives of being the 'do nothing party' but whatever they do is worst than nothing. In the name of God, Allah and whoever else will listen, please go now.
- Keith Price, Luton, 21/01/2009 15:40
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What a sickening scheming Government. What are the odds on the shredders working overtime tonight?
- Roger, Surrey, 21/01/2009 15:39
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It's quite simple really . . . Any MP not prepared to be "fully transparent" in respect of his/her expenses can just pay for the item(s) from their own pocket!
That gets rid of any "suspicions" and/or "wrong-doings". If the MP wants rebated for any costs then they have to "fully itemize them individually" in order to get them approved and refunded from the public purse.
What is so difficult about that? After all, nobody is forcing MPs to "claim expenses", are they?
- Fraser, Telford Park, 21/01/2009 15:32
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I am getting giddy from all the u turns!
- Hugh, Middx, 21/01/2009 15:26
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Call me cynical, but is this happening now that New Labour have had time to doctor their expenses?
- Anil Chatterjee, Manchester, 21/01/2009 15:23
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