MP's expenses

One of the things I was taught at University was that it is virtually impossible to correct a system without understanding the cause of its failure. So here, we have a failed system ~ the method that we use to reimburse MP's for monies expended carrying out their duties has fallen in to such disrepute as to have lost widespread public confidence.

Gordon Brown's solution, to pay an attendance allowance, appears to be the worst possible idea. It fails to ask why this system failed, preferring instead to mask is on a blanket payment. MP's do indeed occur genuine out of pocket expenses which any employer would reimburse. If I need a laptop for my work, my employer either provides one, or I provide one and claim it on expenses. Ditto travel, ditto accommodation when working away from my usual work place. If I open a branch office, I am not expected to fund the rent on it, nor should an MP have to fund a constituency office.

So what went wrong, what was the root cause of the failure of the MP's expenses system? The answer to that is simple. MP's themselves.

Rather than look upon the system as a means of refunding genuine expenses, a significant number of them used it as a method of enriching their lives. I don't care if the Home Sectary's 2nd home allowance was 'within the rules' ~ it was clearly a method of receiving tax payers’ money. An honorable MP would recognise this and only make genuine claims, but as we have seen, while they will line up on the telly to condemn 'greedy bankers' pension schemes, they aren't so diligent when it comes to spending our money on themselves.

There has been some mutterings in the MSN about the good being tarred with the same brush as the bad. To which I say tough. Let us remember it wasn't an MP that forced the publication of these expenses, but campaigners from outside of parliament. 646 men and women of differing political views, and not a single whistle blower among them, happy to keep the truth away from their employers.

So whatever bodge Gordon Brown et al come up with, you can be sure of one thing ~ the root cause of the problem, corrupt and acquiescent MP's, will still be there, and the system will fail again.