28 September 2009
David Cameron MP, the Leader of the Conservative Party, and Alok Sharma, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Reading West, have written jointly in recent weeks to thousands of residents across the Reading West Constituency outlining their commitments on MPs’ expenses.
David Cameron wrote:
“Trust in politicians is very low at the moment – and I can understand why.
The expenses scandal has left many people feeling very angry and the inability of any of today’s politicians to give a straight answer to a simple question has left many people wondering whether there is any point in voting any more.
An apology over expenses, backed by action
Some MPs, from all parties, have done things that were wrong – whether or not they were within the rules. I want to apologise for their actions. But more than an apology, you deserve action to put things right.
I’ve been saying that the expenses system needs changing for a long time. But as soon as I heard recent revelations, I knew that I had to take action to put the Conservative Party’s house in order straight away, rather than wait for the independent inquiry into MPs’ expenses that is due to report later this year.
That’s why I set up a scrutiny panel to review every excessive expense claim made by a Conservative MP and agree with them how much money they will pay back. I’ve been very clear that anyone in my party who refuses to accept the decision of this panel will not be allowed to continue as a Conservative MP.
I have also imposed additional rules on Conservative MPs above and beyond the House of Commons rules. They will have to:
And I am doing all I can to push the House of Commons authorities to publish MPs’ expenses for 2008/9 as quickly as possible – in an uncensored form. Only strictly private information, like MPs’ phone numbers and bank details should be blacked
out.
Telling the truth about the economy
If politicians want to regain people’s trust, one thing they could do is to be straight with people when they get asked a difficult question, rather than changing the subject or parroting a meaningless soundbite.
We’ve seen that recently in the debate about public spending. Gordon Brown’s repeated denials that he is planning to cut spending are making him look increasingly ridiculous. We should have the confidence to tell the public the truth – that Britain faces a debt crisis.
Our national credit rating is under threat. Every international institution agrees that we need to act now to clear up the mess. Even members of the Cabinet agree and the Chancellor outlined future cuts in the Budget. But Gordon Brown refuses to face up to what has gone wrong and what everyone else agrees must be done.
The truth is that real spending plans will have to be cut whoever is elected. We have already set out some specific cuts that a Conservative Government would make – scrapping the ID card scheme, reducing the number of quangos and cutting the cost of politics. And we have set out whole areas we will radically reform to get better value for money – like education and welfare. I believe that being honest with people about the tough decisions that need to be taken is the way to win back trust.
Your local Conservative candidate, Alok Sharma
Individual candidates at the next election can do their bit to win back your trust as well. In Reading West, the Conservative Party’s candidate is Alok Sharma. Enclosed with this letter is a message from him setting out what he is promising to do.”
Message from Alok Sharma
Alok Sharma, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Reading West, wrote:
“Ever since the details of the MPs expenses were first published, people have been furious about the excessive, unacceptable and possibly illegal claims made by some of the people we send to represent us in the House of Commons.
My view on the current expenses system is one of complete exasperation. I firmly believe that there needs to be clear transparency and openness when it comes to MPs’ expenses.
As your local Conservative candidate I want to make it clear to you that I will not play the system. I will not bend the rules. I will not break the law. Instead, I will abide by the standards that politicians expect others to live by. I will stick to the promises set out here.
MPs’ expenses: my promises to you
As the Parliamentary Candidate for Reading West, I promise that if elected I will:
David Cameron wrote:
“Trust in politicians is very low at the moment – and I can understand why.
The expenses scandal has left many people feeling very angry and the inability of any of today’s politicians to give a straight answer to a simple question has left many people wondering whether there is any point in voting any more.
An apology over expenses, backed by action
Some MPs, from all parties, have done things that were wrong – whether or not they were within the rules. I want to apologise for their actions. But more than an apology, you deserve action to put things right.
I’ve been saying that the expenses system needs changing for a long time. But as soon as I heard recent revelations, I knew that I had to take action to put the Conservative Party’s house in order straight away, rather than wait for the independent inquiry into MPs’ expenses that is due to report later this year.
That’s why I set up a scrutiny panel to review every excessive expense claim made by a Conservative MP and agree with them how much money they will pay back. I’ve been very clear that anyone in my party who refuses to accept the decision of this panel will not be allowed to continue as a Conservative MP.
I have also imposed additional rules on Conservative MPs above and beyond the House of Commons rules. They will have to:
- publish each and every expense claim online as they submit them;
- only claim for what is necessary to do the job – not for furniture, luxuries or the weekly shop;
- not ‘flip’ their first and second homes to maximise what they can claim on expenses; and
- pay Capital Gains Tax when they sell a home on which the mortgage interest payments have been paid by the taxpayer.
And I am doing all I can to push the House of Commons authorities to publish MPs’ expenses for 2008/9 as quickly as possible – in an uncensored form. Only strictly private information, like MPs’ phone numbers and bank details should be blacked
out.
Telling the truth about the economy
If politicians want to regain people’s trust, one thing they could do is to be straight with people when they get asked a difficult question, rather than changing the subject or parroting a meaningless soundbite.
We’ve seen that recently in the debate about public spending. Gordon Brown’s repeated denials that he is planning to cut spending are making him look increasingly ridiculous. We should have the confidence to tell the public the truth – that Britain faces a debt crisis.
Our national credit rating is under threat. Every international institution agrees that we need to act now to clear up the mess. Even members of the Cabinet agree and the Chancellor outlined future cuts in the Budget. But Gordon Brown refuses to face up to what has gone wrong and what everyone else agrees must be done.
The truth is that real spending plans will have to be cut whoever is elected. We have already set out some specific cuts that a Conservative Government would make – scrapping the ID card scheme, reducing the number of quangos and cutting the cost of politics. And we have set out whole areas we will radically reform to get better value for money – like education and welfare. I believe that being honest with people about the tough decisions that need to be taken is the way to win back trust.
Your local Conservative candidate, Alok Sharma
Individual candidates at the next election can do their bit to win back your trust as well. In Reading West, the Conservative Party’s candidate is Alok Sharma. Enclosed with this letter is a message from him setting out what he is promising to do.”
Message from Alok Sharma
Alok Sharma, the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Reading West, wrote:
“Ever since the details of the MPs expenses were first published, people have been furious about the excessive, unacceptable and possibly illegal claims made by some of the people we send to represent us in the House of Commons.
My view on the current expenses system is one of complete exasperation. I firmly believe that there needs to be clear transparency and openness when it comes to MPs’ expenses.
As your local Conservative candidate I want to make it clear to you that I will not play the system. I will not bend the rules. I will not break the law. Instead, I will abide by the standards that politicians expect others to live by. I will stick to the promises set out here.
MPs’ expenses: my promises to you
As the Parliamentary Candidate for Reading West, I promise that if elected I will:
- publish my parliamentary website details of all my individual expenses incurred as your Member of Parliament;
- publish on my parliamentary website details of all of my office expenses incurred as your Member of Parliament;
- make all my expense claims available for review by local newspapers at the end of the financial year;
- commute from my family home in Reading to London, only staying overnight in London when absolutely necessary;
- never claim for food, furniture, household goods or my personal tax liabilities;
- publish on my parliamentary website details of who I am employing with my parliamentary staffing allowance and what they do;
- never use the staffing allowance to employ any members of my family;
- only ever claim for what is necessary to do the job well. Expenses are there to cover costs incurred in doing your job, not as a top-up to your salary.”
