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Jo SwinsonLib Dem MP for East Dunbartonshire |
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Jo publishes expenses as MPs vote on reforms
May 1, 2009 9:00 AM
Jo has published her expenses for the financial year, as MPs voted to push through reforms on the rules for MPs' allowance claims.
Jo voluntarily publishes her expenses each quarter, and has now put her annual totals up on her website. In a debate in the House of Commons yesterday, she criticised the Prime Minister's slapdash approach to reforming the system of MPs' allowances, saying that "in a frantic rush to be seen to be doing something-anything-about this issue, he did not stop to think whether he was doing the wrong thing."
The Prime Minister dropped his controversial plans, which Jo described as "a ridiculous proposal", to give MPs cash handouts for turning up to the House of Commons. MPs voted yesterday to scrap the second home allowance for London MPs and for all receipts for expenses claims to be published. Voting on other reforms will be delayed until an independent inquiry has been conducted into how the system can be improved.
Commenting, Jo said:
"I am relieved that the Government has climbed down on its bizarre proposals to give MPs a daily allowance for turning up to Parliament, which is unjustifiable and unworkable. I sincerely hope that Sir Christopher Kelly will come up with a plan to make the whole system of MPs' allowances fairer and much more transparent, so that MPs can't get away with some of the scandalous behaviour which has come to light recently. My expenses are published on my website, as I think it's vitally important to our democracy that the public can hold MPs accountable for how we spend taxpayers' money."
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