Sandie Seward
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LPUK statement with regards to Ministers expensesLPUK statement with regards to Ministers expenses
Press Release
Posted on May 08 2009
Press Release >> Press Release
The revelations which we read about this morning in the Daily Telegraph with regards to Ministers expenses has long been expected.
It is now clear why for so long MP's have attempted time and again to find legal avenues to hide this shameful abuse of taxpayers funds, which in many instances go beyond merely acting within the rules, as several ministers have quite possibly crossed the line into fraud.
There is also the controversal subject of nepotism, one that this particular government have allowed to be taken to extremes with the employment of family members for the most trivial of tasks at enormous cost to taxpayers.
This is a situation that clearly cannot continue, and whilst it may not be the worst of all abuses committed by this government, it is one that can be dealt with in short order.
Let us be very clear, MP's are not special, nor are they above the law. They should and must be made to adhere to the same rules that apply to every other citizen of the United Kingdom with regards to expenses, and the HMRC standard of expenses should apply in the Houses of Parliament as everywhere else, with the same legal penalties imposed for breaking those simple rules.
A full root and branch review of expenses now needs to be conducted by an independent auditor, of all MP's expenses, those of the members of the House of Lords, their staff, those who are employed by Parliament and extended right down to the Local Authority level and action taken for those who have broken the rules.
The Citizens of Britain are quite rightly feeling this morning that they have been robbed. They have been financially assaulted by those in whom we are supposed to have the utmost trust. That trust has now gone and they have proven beyond doubt that they cannot manage their own affairs.
Over the years MP's have built for themselves a culture of self obsessed self important elitism, with scant regard to the taxpayers who fund their excesses. We have gone beyond expecting that MP's will resign as a result of today's news, however, the system overall needs radical reform to bring politicians back to the world of reality.
The Libertarian Party condemn the actions of those MP's and Ministers who have flouted the trust vested in them, and will take action to restore faith in those who the voters return to Parliament to act in their name. We will be looking to create a new Reform Act and seek a new Constitutional settlement, which will include the conduct, finances and expenses of all public figures and will for the first time lay down penalties in law for MP's and public officials who breach the rules.
We have still to see the expenses of those LibDem, Conservative and other MP's not named today. We are sure that there will be more public anger, and LPUK will look to more innovative ways that Westminster can be brought under control.
Ian Parker-Joseph
Leader - Libertarian Party UK
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