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Kitty Ussher, the junior treasury minister who resigned from the Government after denying expenses allegations, attacks the working culture of the House of Commons
Spending evenings with work colleagues is (usually) pleasant. But doing it through necessity practically every term-time weekday evening, unless a special exemption has been negotiated, to the exclusion of family life, is the one and only reason why I have decided to not re-stand as an MP at the next election.
The possibility of a slim majority or a hung parliament where each vote counts, and nobody can leave, and I have to resort to spending the years from, say, 2010 to 2015 telling my children to turn on the parliament channel to see where I am, or else dramatically resign in a mid-term by-election crisis, fills me with horror.
I do not begrudge my colleagues and friends in the House of Commons for not putting reform of the working hours of Parliament top of their agendas.
By definition, they must feel they have got it about right in their own personal lives, or at least come to terms with the sacrifices else - one presumes - they wouldn't be there.
But that's not to say that we can't do better. And now, as we look afresh at the type of democracy that we want to have, is the time to do it.
Politicians from all sides have said that they want to end the "gentleman's club" that is Westminster.
Yet hardly anyone is talking about ending the compulsory evening working hours where people use the cover of votes to enjoy their clubbish dinners and drinks.
Yes, it is better than it was. That's what the experienced ones say: "It was much worse when I came into Parliament - we regularly sat into the wee small hours and people were sleeping in their offices. You don't know how lucky you are."
But since when have core working hours of 2.30-10pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, 11.30am till 7pm on Wednesdays and 10.30 till 6pm on Thursdays been family friendly, particularly if you consider that the voting often doesn't start till the end of each day and each vote lasts around 15 minutes?
Am I alone in wanting to see my young family in that crucial gap between school ending and lights out? That question is too sensitive to be asked.
There is a tension between those MPs who have families in London and those whose families live in constituencies outside London.
The latter group, quite rightly, want to cram as much as possible into a few days at Westminster so that they can be reunited with their families swiftly.
But it is not beyond the wit of man to have a system that works for both?
If that shortens the working week, then let's meet for those extra days in the late summer when the schools have gone back but the party conferences haven't yet kicked off.
We now have an unrivalled chance to reform Parliament's working hours. So my request is simple.
I accept that MPs are not employees and so the right to request flexible working hours when families are young does not apply.
So let's simply have a system that allows us to leave the building at five o'clock like normal human beings - people can always have dinner with their mates in the evening if they want to, not because they have to.
I've told my constituency party that I wouldn't rule out seeking to return to Parliament when either my family is older or the working hours are reformed, whichever is sooner.
My youngest child will be 18 in 2026. So come on, John Bercow, see if you can sort it out before then.
Kitty Ussher is Labour MP for Burnley.
Reader views (12)
You were caught out MS Usher with fingers in till..so get lost..no one believes you!!!
- Jean, London England, 29/06/2009 15:44
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I cannot recall an MP making such a self serving excuse for themselves in public. Ms Usher seems to have not only failed in her attempt to maximise her expenses but she also seems to have failed to read the small print in what it means to be an MP. Her absurd attack on the working hours of the Commons and her reasoning as to why she will be stepping down at the next election (and not before!) is a sad attempt to use her children as a shield for her own failings. Surely she had some understanding of the demands of Motherhood, being an MP and holding an office of State? None of these 3 quite different and challenging and rewarding tasks are compulsory. If being available for her children is so important, why accept a Minister’s role? She complains of the working hours but only mentions fleetingly that it is for 3 days a week with no mention of the 5 recess periods including from 12th of July to October 12th – 3 months! Sorry Ms Usher, it does not add up and clearly Parliament and the country will have to manage without you. Good Riddance!
- Ed, London, 25/06/2009 16:59
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So, Ms. Ussher, I am I to take it from your statement that you became an MP to improve the working conditions of MP's in parliament, rather than having a vocation to improve societies lot, you know, the people you are paid to represent. I presume you did read the 'job discription' (along with expenses allowance) prior to campaigning to become an MP, or were you swept into office on a wave of popular support,and felt unable to resist the popular will of the people? Either way, you will be joining the ranks of the unemployed, and, judging from the sentiments expressed, would not hold out much hope for you in the near future by way of gainful useful employment!
PS A word to the wise - get caught with your fingers in the till, in real life, you get prosecuted. Would not advise a career as a barmaid, or any job involving operating a cash till!
- Kevin Sullivan, Roehampton, London., 24/06/2009 16:41
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What a load of self pitying tosh! You are standing down because you, like a lot of your fellow troughers have been caught stealing tax payers money. If you are so intend on spending time with your family why are you waiting until the next election? Oh, of course nothing to do with the £100,000 you will pick up between now and then, and the allowances, expense etc and you might even get the mortgage paid off before you leave, then there's the fat pension, the 'adjustment' payment, poor dear my heart bleeds for you, blah blah. We are better off without parasites like you, please do us all a favor and don't come back into politics. If you were really genuine you would resign as an MP today and let the people elect a new MP in a by-election, perhaps someone who isn't offended by artex ceilings and who won't milk the tax payer for every penny they can get! See ya later parasite!
- Ed, Hants, 24/06/2009 16:30
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Leave the office at 5pm? How quaint, how out of touch. Kitty, you knew what was in store when you chose to climb this greasy pole with all the other troughers, there is no point in whining now
- Carl, London, 24/06/2009 16:17
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Oh boo hoo. Many people work long hours & have to juggle family life, but they manage. They dont have the luxury of having council tax paid for them let alone the chance to fiddle anything.
- Ajaz, Newham, London, 24/06/2009 16:07
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The only reason they stand down is to avoid public attention for awhile.
- Miles T. Bunting, Clapham, London, 24/06/2009 16:00
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Last week was a glorious week for Burnley: Owen (God) Coyle staying; Kitty (Artex)Ussher going.
- David Leaver, Burnley, 24/06/2009 15:04
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As with all politicians a whole load of claptrap which actually means "I'll want to spend time with my kids until a better offer turns up"
- Stephen, London, 24/06/2009 14:45
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Get caught massaging your expenses and then bleat that you are standing down "for your family". I bet your constituency party are waiting with bated breath for your return.
- Trevor, Southend UK, 24/06/2009 13:35
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Starting work at 2.30 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, 11.30 a.m. on Wednesdays, and 10.30 a.m. Thursdays with no work on Friday! Kitty - go out and get a real job. I worked from 8.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. five days a week all my working life. I dare say you would not have resigned had you not been caught fiddling your expenses because, whether you admit it or not - you are all in it to milk the system and now that the gravy train has been slowed down a bit a few of the guilty ones have decided to get off. The remainder will be kicked out by the electorate in 2010.
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 24/06/2009 11:38
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Kitty, love, if MP's have to leave the building at 5, then they won't have an excuse for a 2nd home with all the fiddles that that entails (not that you'd ever dream of doing anything like that of course).
I'm so pleased that you haven't ruled out a return to Parliament and I so admire you making this sacrifice for the sake of your family. The country really needs people like you. Unfortunately though I don't think there'll be much of a labour party for you to return to!
Love to the kids.
- Chris, Brighton, England., 24/06/2009 10:48
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