With Sir Christopher Kelly’s Committee on Standards in Public Life’s official review due out next month, the Sunlight Centre today releases an independent  shadow report, with a foreword by Douglas Carswell MP, laying out a system to stop MPs’ abuse of expenses once and for all.  The report, “Disinfecting Parliament” provides a tough, benchmark by which to judge Sir Christopher Kelly’s recommendations. Sir Christopher has been investigating reform of the expenses system and the Sunlight Centre report covers his remit and puts forward their recommendations for reform. The stripped-down and simplified expenses system recommended by Sunlight would include: 

  

* A central MPs bank account with debit cards and full and instant publication of expenditure.
* Accommodation provided to MPs by Parliament in the Olympic Village.  

* A provision for voters to get corrupt MPs out of Parliament with recall by-elections.

* A reduction in perks and salaries for Ministers and their Shadows. 

* A purge of redundant bodies and streamlining of the expenses system. 

 

Juliet Samuel, Sunlight’s Research Analyst and author of ‘Disinfecting Parliament’ said: 

 

"The expenses scandal and the Kelly report have provided us with a once in a generation chance to overhaul MPs expenses and Common’s accountabilty. For too long British politics has carried on in the world of cosy consensus and systematic shredding. MPs need to be accountable and our simple yet radical recommendations would establish clear and transparent  lines of accountabilty and bring best demonstrated practice over from the private sector.
As this shadow report shows, Sir Christopher Kelly has the chance to radically mend the system of expenses and the House of Commons, we hope he doesn’t fail in his duty to do this. This report can act as a benchmark to compare the conclusions of the Committee of Standards in Public Life investigation."

 

You can read and download a copy of the report here. Hard copy available on request.

 

 

 

 

 

NOTES TO EDITORS: 

 

•The Sunlight Centre is a non-partisan, not-for-profit company advocating political transparency and openness.  They are currently funding a private prosecution of the former Home Secretary. 

 

 

T : 020 7837 3312 F : 070 9201 2337 E : team@sunlight-cops.org.uk

Albion Buildings, 1 Back Hill, London, EC1R 5EN