From a party news release:
The Liberal Democrats have today written to the Commons Speaker asking when the detailed breakdown of MPs’ expenses will now be published.
Commenting Liberal Democrat Leader, Nick Clegg, said:
“There are legitimate grounds for appealing the decision to publish private addresses. However, there is no earthly reason why the rest of the information should not be published immediately.
“Any delay will only add to the British public’s distrust in their politicians.”
Update:
Coverage in The Times:
The Speaker of the Commons is facing a revolt over his decision to fight the release of MPs expenses in the High Court after the Liberal Democrats formally declared their opposition to the appeal.
Nick Clegg is calling for the immediate publication of the data relating to 14 MPs — including the Liberal Democrats Sir Menzies Campbell and Mark Oaten — after the disclosure order by the Information Tribunal. Details about other MPs’ expenses would follow in October…
Today the Liberal Democrats urged the Speaker to publish all the details, minus MPs’ addresses, as soon as possible. They said that they did not believe it merited a costly High Court action.
Paul Burstow, the party’s chief whip, contacted Mr Martin to raise concern over the issue and to ask when the expenses details would be released.
A spokeswoman for Mr Clegg said: “We agree with the appeal about the publication of addresses, but that doesn’t mean that the rest of the expenses cannot be published now.”
The Telegraph:
The Liberal Democrats accused the Commons Commission, which Mr Martin oversees, of misleading them after the party was sent a letter promising that the expenses would be published in full this week, and that there would be no appeal.
COMMONS Speaker Michael Martin yesterday GAGGED MPs from discussing his High Court bid to keep their expenses secret…
Last night the Lib Dems called for him to publish the claims but not the addresses.
and most other newspapers too.
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9 Comments
Good for him
This can be the only sensible course of action. Attempts to keep things hushed up harm Parliament and harm politics.
I’d like to see a league table showing the amounts by which their publicly funded London pads have appreciated since purchase. That’s the real scam – and the real reason they don’t want the addresses released. Constituency homes are in the public domain, so why not the London ones? Do terrorists only operate in the capital now?
Can we please get rid of Michael Martin now? I’m struggling to see how any MPs, Labour or otherwise, can say he’s a good thing for the Commons.
http://lettersfromatory.wordpress.com
Have all Lib Dem MPs unilaterally published their full expenses?
So when will Nick publish his expenses in full?
After all “Any delay will only add to the British public’s distrust in their politicians.”
Guido has a reasonable point. Why doesn’t Nick request his own file (along with Mark Oaten and Ming who were among the 14). They would be entitled to that information which they could then release to the press.
That why they could have the information published within 40 days which might be quicker than waiting for the court case to be resolved and put some pressure on this dreadful Speaker.
Is anyone in the party listening, I wonder?
Can anyone explain why Gordon Brown needs to make use of the Additional Costs Allowance?
Seriously.
Chris Phillips