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Gordon Brown pledged to lift the blackout of MPs' expenses today with new statutory rules on future publication of claims.
The Prime Minister said he would include reforms in legislation to change the entire system of taxpayer-funded allowances.
It came as Downing Street defended Mr Brown's claim of £500 for painting the garden summer house of his constituency home.
In what appeared to be a race to improve their public images, both Mr Brown and Tory leader David Cameron said the current system of blacking out details of rejected claims and items could not survive.
Speaking at the EU summit in Brussels, Mr Brown said: "The redacted expenses were part of the old system. That cannot be the new system. The old system is being swept aside by the changes that we are making. A new, far more transparent system is being introduced. While ensuring that security issues are addressed, as they have to be, our first concern must be maximum transparency."
Mr Brown said that legislation, including a new independent auditor for expenses, would also include new rules to allow the public to see as much detail as possible. Earlier today a spokesman for Mr Brown had said that the claim for painting works at his house in North Queensferry, Fife, was legitimate and made in good faith to maintain the property's upkeep. The spokesman said he used the summerhouse for working.
The Telegraph claimed details of the expenditure would have been blacked out - only referring to the "paint and painting", the cost and date. Mr Brown made the claim in April last year so it is not part of the million-plus documents published yesterday but was allegedly shaded to show it would have been partially redacted.
The No 10 spokesman said this could not be assumed as the receipts were yet to be published.
The premier's pledge came before Mr Cameron announced his own plans for his frontbenchers' claims for 2008-9 to be published without many of the redactions that have triggered public ridicule this week.
The first three letters of MPs' postcodes should be made available and the only information blacked out should be directly related to security.
Mr Cameron said: "After discussions with me, Shadow Leader of the House Alan Duncan will do all he can to push the House of Commons Commission to bring forward the publication of the 08-09 expenses in an uncensored form.
"Only strictly private information - for example phone numbers, bank details and information with legitimate security concerns - should be redacted.
"My shadow Cabinet are already publishing their current expense claims online. I have today asked them to include all significant correspondence and receipts."
The candidates for Speaker were expected to underline their own commitment to reform.
Reader views (39)
Edgar thank you for a very useful post. I took your advice.
- Frank, Bristol UK, 19/06/2009 23:22
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Too right the police should be involved!! If I was to use money from the company I work for to pay for new roofs etc, I would be arrested & charged with fraud!!. Why should they get away with it?
They are thieving from the British public & they should pay for it!
Can we all, as British citizens ring the police & request these people be arrested?
- Mark Stansfield, Devon UK, 19/06/2009 18:34
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We have this unelected thief and idiot as a PM and he needs replacing.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London, 19/06/2009 18:02
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come the next election and subsequent parliament, brown will have more time to paint his own garden shed and anything said or promised now will be of no consequence as he is already yesterdays man.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk, 19/06/2009 17:42
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So this new commitment excuses him from ordering the removal of all blackouts?? Go pull the other one Brown and please, please keep your lies coming, because every one adds another nail to Labour's coffin.
- Bingham Macnamara, lymington, hampshire, 19/06/2009 17:38
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This isn't DEMOCRACY,its a cabal of Masonic Lodges looking after each others financial interests hence the complete lack of any action.
- Frank, Bristol UK, 19/06/2009 17:19
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Brown late again. The simplest solution is to have no expenses, then there is nothing to police. MP's should get a fixed wage, the average national wage and that's it. Then if they want a rise they have to raise the average national wage.
- Mick, London, England, 19/06/2009 16:35
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Worthless promises and worthless pledges by a (publicly considered) corrupt Political Mafia.
Signed Carl Barron Chairman of agpcuk
- Carl Barron, Christchurch, Dorset, 19/06/2009 16:07
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Yawn. Shutting another stable door after the horse has bolted. The maxim for MPs in the 21st century is this: try to get away with it, if you don't, fess up then bang on about listening to the people for 48 hours, before returning to original plan. New Labour, Tories just the same. Establishment. Jobs for the boys, and some girls if they don't throw their toys out the cot when they don't get the promotion they wanted.
- Stuart, London, 19/06/2009 16:01
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So we have to constantly monitor them and protest before they will behave like decent, honest human beings? I WANT AN ELECTION!!!
- Mark, London, 19/06/2009 15:57
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They look like a Military of Defence report on UFOs!
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 19/06/2009 15:09
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Hasn't worked it out yet has he? This guy is seriously, but seriously disconnected from reality. Of course they will clean up their act now we all know the truth. We want them to go back and publish EVERYTHING, with the exception of MPs bank details and personal tel nos. It must include their address, where they shop, and exclude no detail about what they spent money on. Geddit now, Gordon? Prepare to spend the rest of your life being compared to Ramsey MacDonald, Neville Chamberlain - oh and Tony Blair. People will light bonfires and burn effigies of these two politicians who have dragged our country down. We pray for leadership to rescue our beloved country. In banana republics, this is when the military take power - because they know the people would prefer them to the crowd in control. The generals see themselves as the only institution that can save the nation.
Why oh why won't this man give us a general election. Does he seriously think he can turn the people round? Someone should save him a place in The Priory.
- Michael Bilton,, Hampshire, UK, 19/06/2009 14:50
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Gormless Brown is nothing short of of slippery con artist. He is devious in the extreme. He is a blatant hypocrite.
Brown now proposes to appoint Alan Sugar to the Cabinet!
BROWN, JACKBOOT STRAW, BALLS, MEDDLESUM, BLUNKETT AND PRESCOTT ALL FIRMLY BELIEVE THEY ARE RUNNING A JACKBOOT AUTOCRACY.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK, 19/06/2009 14:50
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So Broon pledges does he? Does anybody seriously believe a word that comes from that mans mouth?
- Satnam Singh, corby, 19/06/2009 14:42
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What gets me is the fact that Civil Servants have to engage in the use of 'weasel words' like 'redaction' in their attemp to fool the public with their 'smoke and mirrors' act. -The good old-fashioned word is 'censorship'! -It's a disgrace that they feel they can treat the Public with this contempt!
- Huggy, Cumbernauld Scotland, 19/06/2009 13:37
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I think it should be left entirely for the Telegraph to do the job!
- Pt, London, 19/06/2009 13:22
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If these politicians were ever going to change; they would have long ago.
After the storm, comes the calm; after the calm, returns the old habits; and old habits die hard.
Normal services will be resumed as soon as possible.
The people should not get angry; they should just get even; get rid of them all, and vote for a party that puts the country before their own pockets, and their own friends.
If not; then expect more of the same forever.
- Mickyinlondon, london, 19/06/2009 12:52
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These cretins (and I mean ALL MPs) must think we are stupid. They are hiding behind the words "privacy" and "security" in order that we cannot see just how, for many years now, they have been dishonestly and corruptly milking the expenses system. They are utter hypocrites - how on earth they dare lecture leaders of Third World countries about honesty and corruption I really don't know. They are a bunch of thoroughly corrupt thieves themselves.
The whole archaic and corrupt electoral system, which allows MPs to sit in "safe seats" for life, and for Governments to be formed on just 27 per cent of the vote needs radical and meaningful changes - starting with full Proportional Representation. Perhaps then we can move on to deal with the unelected power and privilege that still reigns supreme in the UK.
- Neil45, Gloucestershire, England., 19/06/2009 12:47
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So the MPs’ expenses have been published, heavily redacted. How dare these dreadful people treat the public like cretins – that money is ours. In future MPs must forfeit ‘second homes’ and any expenses to run them. I sincerely hope that lawyers are even now looking at the terms of the High Court ruling last year and anyone found to be in contempt of them by using black ink so liberally should be charged and jailed. Anyone else connected to the redaction should be sacked immediately. It is high time Parliament was purged of anyone tainted by this scandal. No ifs, buts, or maybes and with absolutely no exceptions.
- Furious Jean, Camberley, UK, 19/06/2009 12:33
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Any MP who has had to pay money back should be barred from standing for any public office again. They should also be barred from membership of the House of Lords (which should be elected anyway) or any other Quango paid for by the tax payer. But of course this won't happen, there will a re-organization of the expenses system and they will be awarded a pay-rise by an independent (consisting of ex-MPs and their relatives) review body. And at the next election the majority of electors will vote for a member of one of the three main Parties.
- Mick, London, England, 19/06/2009 12:04
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@ Edgar... nice one.. I've followed suit.
- John, Dorset, UK, 19/06/2009 11:46
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Oh Leave it out! ALL the serious candidates are up to their necks in it!
- Steve, Brentford, 19/06/2009 11:42
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Since when did Ealing Studios reopen? This carry on expenses farce is great!!!
- Dc, Ealing, London, 19/06/2009 11:26
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MPs details cannot be published because of national security concerns, but our details can when DVDs and memory sticks are lost in the post or left on trains! Let's have local councils spy on those MPs suspected of home flipping. After all, they do spy on parents suspected of lying about their chosen school catchment areas!
- Chaz, London, UK, 19/06/2009 11:18
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What's the point? Even if the new Speaker orders for full disclose of these expenses...the likelihood is that they'll probably have been doctored on the grounds of Data Protection anyway. These MPs will never come clean and what disappoints me more is that those MPs that have nothing to hide are surprisingly quiet in speaking up for full disclosure - which to me suggests that they're all as dishonest as each other...and lest we forget they voted yesterday for a 15% pay-rise of £10,000. Now that they've been busted with their hands in the till...well they've got to get their money from somewhere else!If these so called servants of the people had any shred of decency they wouldn't even dream of going near any motions for an increase in pay for at least 5 years...but with THIS LOT??...I very much doubt it!!
- Ali Sichilongo, London, 19/06/2009 11:13
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A question for Mayor Boris Johnston
If some MPs are paying back the money claimed for interest on their second homes,
How come you are not doing the same?
- Kevin Barry, LONDON, 19/06/2009 11:08
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Parliament is infested by lawyers and anyone who has had read either the Conveyancing Fraud or any dealings with them must know that the truth is open to debate!They grant to themselves that which they deny to everyone else other than their friends! Consider this that Government Ministers can do their ministerial job AND their MP job so logically an MP's job is very much a part time job for only half a year as well!If we could see their timesheets for 'work' done in Westminster and their constituencies I am sure it would be a concoction of make believe like their expenses. We need a new Political Party that would retrospectively pass a law to execute these parasites. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely and this has been proved over and over again in our history and other countries too! Monarchs, Earls,Barons and Lords alike. Persue right or left ideologies to the nth degree and you will land up in insanity!We need to keep in the middle of the muck heap and regularly flush the dishonest ones away!
- Old Contemptible, Poole, England, 19/06/2009 11:00
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Edgar - lovely post and I have duly obliged - a new democracy please this ones not working anymore.
- Mr Pastry, Brisbane, 19/06/2009 10:51
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Widdicombe as Speaker? Perfect!Just what the longest running farce needs to keep going!
- Alan, Chigwell.UK, 19/06/2009 10:42
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Firstly, wonder how much of taxpayer's money was spent on blacking out the information. So rather than focusing on getting this country out of a recession we had MP's more concerned about blacking out their expenses. What a total and utter shambles. How can this Government look at any other country and speak about democracy when we have a blatent use of taxpayer's money. Also, why are they allowed to use our money to fight us in court! If they are so eager to fight a court order, let the MP's fund it out of their own money.
- Jk, London, 19/06/2009 10:39
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Another example of absent leadership by our PM. Why doesn`t this numty get a grip on parliament and show some backbone for once. Can you imagine the fun the media in other countries are having at our expense over all this. Its a total and utter embarassment.
- B Gare, Norfolk Gorleston, 19/06/2009 10:18
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What an absolute disgrace! The voting public are entitled to full disclosure not just what the MP's want us to see. It seems a few individuals feel confident that they are above the law and above the people. They can do what they want confident that their clan will get them off.
If this is the fraud going on with expenses, what have these villians made on contracts and on brown envelopes?
- Trudy, London, 19/06/2009 10:14
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They must think we're stupid! Oh that's right: they do . . .
- Roz, France, 19/06/2009 10:07
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Gorbals Mick and the Harperson blocked the full details of MP's expenses being published.
WHAT AN ABSOLUTE GAGGLE OF CORRUPT MUPPETS THERE ARE IN THE HOUSE OF CONMEN.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK, 19/06/2009 10:04
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Visit the site www.parliament.uk. Here you will observe a pop-up inviting you to comment on the quality of the website.
Do as I have done, question 3 asks "Did you find what you are looking for?" answer no.
Question 4 asks "Why?".
Reply as I have done, "Some coniving, cheating ******** seem to have put black pen through everything"
You see, our views ARE important and they Do care.
You will be rewarded with:-
Thank you very much! Your contribution is much appreciated.
- Edgar, London, 19/06/2009 10:04
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Why are the taxpayers expected to pay for millionaire Gordon Brown to have his summerhouse painted in his constituency at a cost of £500. Why can he not pay for this out of his salary ? and why am I expected to contribute to his wife Sarah's sky television subscription ? Why is the millionaire Alastair Darling allowed to change the wording on the tax advice invoice from his Accountants so that he can claim it back under his parliamentary ACA, and why is he allowed to flip his house claims amongst 4 houses and apparently still continue as Chancellor. Why are the police and tax authorities not investigating publicly the claims made by Blears, McNulty,Hoon,Darling,Ussher and Moran as well as the more obvious claims made by the MPs who have claimed for ghost mortgages ? So many questions but so far too few answers.
- E.Nuff, London, 19/06/2009 09:57
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Margaret Beckett is the most corrupt of all those hoping to be elected speaker. As the speaker must be honest and of the utmost integrity this rules Beckett out as she lacks these qualities. She cannot be trusted.
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 19/06/2009 09:51
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I heard that not only were tony blair's expenses claims shredded but he charged the shredding to the tax payer! Does anyone know whether that's true or not?
- Chris, Brighton, England., 19/06/2009 09:29
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Ms.Widdicombe voted against the publication of the MPs'expenses. How on earth can she expect to be elected to the position of Speaker and have the trust of the people.
- Adrian, London UK, 19/06/2009 09:15
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