Independent Audit of MP's Expenses Rejected - What Have They Got to Hide?
September 1, 2008 9:47 PM
On Thursday 3rd July 148 Labour MPs, 21 Conservative MPs and UKIP's only MP united to vote down the proposal for the independent audit of all MPs' expenses claims.
Commenting, Dr Geoffrey Seeff, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary spokesman for Chingford and Woodford Green said: "This decision by MPs is as wrong as it is disgraceful. It has brought national politics as practised by the Tory and Labour parties into disrepute yet again and they have missed the chance to demonstrate they can be trusted with public money."
"Rarely a week seems to pass without a story in the press about MPs fiddling their expenses. The vast majority of MPs are not corrupt. But so long as they resist having their expenses and allowances subject to robust, external audit, the public can be forgiven for wondering what it is they have got to hide."
Geoff welcomed the announcement by Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg that his party is committing to introduce unilaterally the proposals rejected by Parliament, including independent spot checks of the expenses of the party's MPs: "Since the two main parties continue to ride roughshod over the electorate, it is clearly up to LibDems to set the example and hope the others follow our lead" said Geoff.
Iain Duncan Smith, the constituency MP, was absent from this vote.
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