MP's expenses

The issue of MP's expenses continues to dominate the news and rightly raises serious questions about the culture of Westminster politics. I continue to despair that a number of MPs are still talking about the "rules" and "the system" rather than what is morally and ethically right. As I have written previously, we need a culture change in politics, which ensures that MPs claim what they incur to serve their constituents- not what they are "entitled" to claim.

I am glad to see that a number of candidates and MPs have made pledges or promises on expenses and allowances to their electorates. I made my expenses pledge in March (http://benjaminjohnjones.blogspot.com/2009/03/my-expenses-pledge-to-voters-of-halton.html) and am committed to playing my part in helping rebuild trust in politicians which has been shaken by this crisis. We have a lot of work to do.