Esther Rantzen, TV presenter and founder of ChildLine, has said she is going to stand in Luton South, the constituency of Margaret Moran. Moran is retiring in disgrace after expensing a £22,500 dry rot treatment to some house she owns miles from her constituency. Via Reuters:

Rantzen said she believed voters felt just as strongly about the expenses scandal as when it first came to light.

"I think that all of us deserve a choice and there may be other independent candidates coming forward now taking advantage of a new wind blowing through the world of politics and maybe bringing some fresh air with it," she said.

Good for her and for politics. One can only hope that an influx of independent, autonomous professionals into politics is one result of the whole expenses scandal. A rise in independent MPs who are not beholden to any party central office would do a lot to break the stranglehold over information and encourage open debate over policy, instead of posturing and secrecy.

Published on July 28th, 2009 by Mike Rouse