By David HideChair Horsham Labour Party
Up and down the country many MPs are spending the bank holiday weekend in their constituencies, away from the spotlight of our national media but, nevertheless, with their ears pressed firmly to the ground, listening to the hue and cry their respective misdemeanours have created.
Our own MP, Francis Maude was one of the first to be exposed by the Daily Telegraph and does appear to be playing within the Champions League when it comes to the expenses games.
Francis Maude claimed for second London home: MPs' expensesThe whole article can be read here
Francis Maude claimed almost £35,000 in two years for mortgage interest payments on a London flat when he owned a house just a few hundred yards away
We still await full disclosure of his expenses and despite making the commitment to publish in-full, all his expenses, nothing as yet can be found on his website. Now there's a surprise?!
We do know, that he has done very nicely thanks, largely, to the generous nature of the expenses system, of which he has made full use. His part-time approach to being an MP as evidenced by his no-show for the crucial Ghurkas vote in the House of Commons a fortnight ago, has also enabled him to earn large sums of money while working away from the Commons. Most of us would want and expect an elected representative to work full time on our behalf.
This is a commitment Labour's Andrew Skudder has already made, if he is returned as the next MP for Horsham.
Francis Maude has been quick to offer the electorate an explanation, but not an apology, for his generous use of the expense system, claiming that he kept both
'within the spirit as well as the letter of the rules'While not admitting guilt he has agreed to; pay back cpaital gains on his London flat, forego for now any expenses claims on his London flat and publish all his expenses claims.
This isn't good enough and explains why the electorate across the Nation is so angry. We want and expect better from our Nation's law makers.
In Arleene Piercy's article 'Put things Right' she questions the moral judgement of our politicians, and the need for many to work within a 'something-for-nothing' bonus culture society. She is quite right to question their motives, and the main reason why politicians such as Francis Maude should go, is that they just don't get it.
Just how much money should the tax payer provide for an MP to work on our behalf? This is not Old Labour preaching the politics of envy or the public as described by another disgraced Tory MP, Anthony Steen, who couldn't understand 'what all the fuss was about' going on to claim that the public were just jealous !
Our MP's salary is more than 5 times the Minimum Wage (FM opposed its introduction) and more than twice the National Average Wage. An MP's basic salary is in the top 5% of income nationally. Is this not enough Mr Maude ?
We need to gain a sense of perspective and look again at the type of person we feel comfortable returning to the House of Commons. A fair day's pay for a fair day's work, on our behalf and not a wide range of outside interests.
While up and down the Country this weekend MPs faced their constituents' wrath at public meetings, I am not aware of Maude doing likewise. Instead he prefered, I believe, to face a supine Conservative Association, seeking reassurances that he has done nothing wrong. They provided such reassurance almost to a person.
So come on Mr Maude, do the honorable thing and face the Horsham music and call a public meeting in the next few days.
In the meantime the real test that Maude needs to apply is not one of whether or not he remained within the letter or the spirit of the laws (that MPs made for themselves) but whether or not he is part of the increasing number of MPs that is adding to the stench coming from the Palace of Westminster.
If he can honestly say that that he smells as sweetly as the roses amply nourished by horse manure, that grow in so many MP's gardens then he should stay but if this isn't the case then ..... He SHOULD GO!