Echo COMMENT: All MPs need to be open and accountable (From Echo)

Echo COMMENT: All MPs need to be open and accountable

8:52am Friday 29th May 2009 in News

MPs should be open and accountable to the public they serve, and our readers have a right to know how their taxes have been spent.

Like all south Essex MPs, we have asked David Amess, the Conservative MP for Southend West, to be proactive by informing his constituents about his expenses claims, ahead of their release by the House of Commons at the end of June.

He consistently refused to answer our calls.

Nobody is saying Mr Amess has broken the rules, but taxpayers’ cash has been used to support his role as an MP.

His constituents, therefore, have a right to ask how this cash has been spent, particularly as he has claimed at least £20,000 a year, for the past four years, under the additional cost allowance, which includes reimbursement for a second home.

As part of that, he has claimed the maximum amount possible, £400 a month, for food, while he is in the capital.

It is now essential for Mr Amess to act, to make himself accountable.

He should firstly agree to an interview with the Echo, and secondly, call a public meeting, like other Tory MPs have done, to allow his constituents to scrutinise his expenses.

Tory leader David Cameron has urged his MPs to do all they can to be responsible and open with the public, to restore faith in the system.

Expenses claims are currently being considered by an internal Tory committee.

However, there will only be real change when MPs like Mr Amess agree to open themselves up to public scrutiny.