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Brown outlines plans to clean up expenses system

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David Cameron and Gordon Brown do battle at PMQs
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Published Date: 10 June 2009
PRIME Minister Gordon Brown today set out plans for urgent legislative action to clean up Parliament in the wake of the expenses scandal.
Mr Brown told the House of Commons that legislation will be published before MPs rise for their summer break next month to create an independent regulator of Parliament and a code of conduct for MPs' behaviour.

Admitting that the current sanctions for MPs who overclaim expenses are "not fit for purpose", Mr Brown said he would consult on new powers to remove MPs guilty of gross financial misconduct from Parliament or force them to face re-election.

In a statement to the Commons, Mr Brown revealed that receipts for all MPs' expenses will be published on the Internet within the next few days, and said future receipts will be made public as a matter of routine.

Insisting that he believes the vast majority of MPs "are in politics not for what they can get but for what they can give", Mr Brown said: "In the midst of all the rancour and recrimination, let us seize the moment to lift our politics to a higher standard."

Mr Brown also said he would publish proposals by the summer for the final stage of reform of the House of Lords, including the removal of all hereditary peers and the creation of an 80%-100% elected second chamber.

Conservative leader David Cameron responded that the best way to ensure democratic renewal was to call an immediate general election.

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1

Nevsky;,

Moscow 10/06/2009 13:14:56
What is hell is Brown doing...sorting out how many chocolate chip cookies are allowed on expenses while the UK has trillions of debt to manage and losing jobs by the thousands day upon day!

He has spent the past two weeks in a desperate attemp not to be thrown out...who is making the big decisions?

Not oor Gordie...he has done nothing since he has become PM...absolutely nothing other than fighting fires and always getting his wee fingers burnt!

If ever there was a more useless excuse as a PM than this thing i have yet to see it!
2

Nevsky;,

Moscow 10/06/2009 13:17:46
Brown has lost his party and the electorate for good....he guaranteed to lose any election and in the meantine he will be nothing more than continue to be fodder for the English press...who are far from done with him yet!

3

Andy Ritchie's left boot,

10/06/2009 13:33:01
The man is trying desperately to divert attention from his own utter incompetence. Gordon, why don't you just come out, resign, and then you and Mandelson can ride off into the sunset together?

Having Brown reforming the expenses system is like appointing Myra Hindley as the Minister for Children. Actually I'm surprised Brown hasn't done that already...
4

Willie Mor,

10/06/2009 13:42:18
Faced with electoral wipeout it now seems that our un-elected Prime minister is now proposing to change the law to abandon the centuries old first past the post system in favour of some form of Westminster proportional representation, before the next Westminster election!

No wonder the BNP secured nearly one million votes in England, and one has to ask the question, who are the greater democrats - Labour or the BNP?
5

Willie Mor,

10/06/2009 13:45:01
Oh and in the meantime Mr Brown will continue to shore up his rotten government by appointing non-elected peers into his cabinet.

Cash for a cabinet post anyone?

6

Willie Mor,

10/06/2009 13:52:22
Oh and I also see that the Police will not investigate the fraudulent goings on with Mr Jim Devine MP who paid cash to a man in a pub who gave him a fictious company invoice for work alleged to have been carried out on his second home.

Of course Mr Brown will clean up politics, just as he done with the rotten banks, the small matter of cash for honours, MP's for hire, illegal donations, secret donations,off-shore donations, fraudulent expenses, fraudulent postal voting initiated by Labour party members.

Now what a good Presbyterian chappie Mr Brown is. No doubt Nick Griffin will use him as a role model in democracy.
7

connaughtboy,

stonehaven 10/06/2009 14:02:31
Do us all a favour Gordon, call an election. It's over and it's starting to become surreal.
8

Steve A.,

10/06/2009 14:12:02
Broon's last few months will be over quicker than you can say 'peter mandelson'!

Watch the weakling lie/bour MPs falling over themselves to knife him the closer the election gets.

The only debate is will they wait to they lose both by elections first?

It's going to be enormous fun watching it all unravel.



:o)
9

Iainbroch,

10/06/2009 14:18:25
re4

There is nothing proportional about about the AV(STV) voting system. Which means it is about as represenatative as the first past the post system!

Nor is he actually proposing to get rid of the House O Lards. He has already set about creating more of the Lards by appointing new ones to his cabinet.

The heel dragging over expenses gives me no faith that this lot are capable of cleaning it up.

They could easily clean it up right now by having a vote on it before the week is out. It is simple put down a motion abolishing all the expenses and get them to vote on it and if your cosituency is more than say 1hour travel time from London then they get travel economy class expenses. Yet they drag thier heels!

The time for them to go is overdue!
10

morris,

edinburgh 10/06/2009 14:32:45
8 You have hit the nail on the head.
What happens in Scotland will help the SNP of course,but
what happens at Norwich will seal his fate.

Unless Labour can pull that one out the bag they are confirmed as OUT of no10 when the GE is held.
England DO NOT WANT LABOUR under any circumstances.The Norh South divide has been around for years.

Labour should congratulate themselves getting away with as much as they did for as long as they did.
Even our village idiots are deserting Labour now!
Id give him slightly less chance than he has of ever being a virgin again.
11

Jimmy Le Pie,

10/06/2009 14:33:03
If he wants to clean up parliament what about sacking Comrade Darling for his expenses fiddle????

A VOTE FOR NEW LABOUR SLEAZE IS A VOTE WASTED - VOTE SNP.
12

Nevsky;,

Moscow 10/06/2009 14:41:15
111 Jimmy*

Because Darling would bring Broon doon and Broon dinnae want to be bring doon..nae the noo..no while his reputation is poo!
13

Tynietiger,

10/06/2009 14:41:16
Will Iain Gray and other unionists say this is waste of time and money on constitutional matters during a recession.
14

Iainbroch,

10/06/2009 14:48:17
re13

Depends what the masters in London say! Thats if Iain Grey can be found to make a comment that is!
15

Nevsky;,

Moscow 10/06/2009 14:49:29
13 Tyne*

Because Brown fights headlines...he is not a politician..he worls for the Labour party editorial staff...he will achieve nothing and everone knows it.

Announced 5000 enquiries and initiatives so far...anyone heard of them since?
16

Tarchin,

Lothian 10/06/2009 14:56:53
I am reminded of the Fred Goodwin situation, which has all gone very quiet, and when attempts to claw back part or all of his pension, we were told that there was no legislation in place to allow this. I would like to see legislation in place before a GE so that those MPs guilty of "Gross financial misconduct" can be punished. I certainly do not want them departing with large amounts of taxpayers cash
17

Huntly loon,

Aberdeenshire 10/06/2009 15:03:20
AV is just as useless as FPTP. Instead of the most popular candidate winning it is then the least unpopular, and with tactical voting the electorate was getting that any way. Halve the number of MPs, keep FPTP for them and make up the rest by PR with open lists in large regions. The Euro Electoral divisions would suit adequately. Labour had 12 years to sort out the constitution. Introduced devolution to thwart the nationalists and hopefully keep Labour in never-ending power in Scotland and Wales.

And in the Lords abolished the hereditary peers (permanent tory control) and replaced it with Labour placemen (now permanent Labour control),

Then they stopped until they realised they were losing all their power bases. So it was time to change the rules to entrench themselved in power at the fag end of a discredited Parliament. Labour is not about improving democracy it is about keeping power to themselves.

18

Jason Scorne,

10/06/2009 15:30:55
This wretched cabinet of unelected peers and invertebrate MPs won't last until the election. You cannot expect so many overinflated egos to work as a team.

Given his past form, Mandy Queen Of Strops is bound to have a hissy fit with someone before long.
19

Marga,

Edinburgh 10/06/2009 15:53:31
On the subject of "Gross financial misconduct", how much power have we ordinary people actually clawed back in all this? What is going to change?

I suppose you have read about Andy Hornby's new super-job in charge of Boots. I wrote to complain about them putting this guy in charge, on grounds of Corporate Social Responsibility if nothing else, and got the reply:

Thank you for your interest in writing to Alliance Boots regarding the recent appointment of our Group Chief Executive.

The Board of Directors takes the recruitment of senior executives extremely seriously. It always seeks to make the right recruitment decisions in the best interests of our Company and believes that Andy Hornby is the right person for the job.

Yours sincerely

Communications, Alliance Boots
20

nostress,

grangemouth 10/06/2009 16:00:09
18 - I'm not sure that Mandy will throw a strop, but given his absolute hatred for the demented clown that calls himself PM, he'll bide his time for action. I reckon it'll be around October time when he unsheaths his weapon and slips it into Bulldog Brown from behind.
21

Baillie Guthrie,

Caithness 10/06/2009 16:40:28
I am amazed at the clever way Brown has foiled all attempts to get him to resign.

Congratulations Mrs Brown!




22

JG,

Fife 10/06/2009 18:04:16
#4 Willie Mor
Willie, will you please stop it! We DO NOT elect a Prime Minister. You elect your respective MP and they decide who the boss is going to be. It has always been so. The Tories didn't call for an election when Mrs Tatcher went, Labour ain't doing it now and Salmond wouldn't do it if he found himself in similar circumstances.
And this expenses thing isn't only Labour's problem - ALL of the parties have had MPs shove their bellies close to the trough (although clearly some can get closer than others!)
23

Sgian Achlais,

10/06/2009 18:27:33
Newsflash - Mugabe to personally take charge of electoral reform in Zimbabwe.

Is as believable as El Gordo and Handy Mandy cleaning up politics in the uk. They are the problem. Thereforw they cannot be part of the solution.

The fact they do not acknowledge this proves they are not fit for government.

Gordon please go and take your girls friend with you

24

Scotindy,

Los Angeles 10/06/2009 18:40:22
Roll on Referendum Day and be DONE WITH THE SCUM. Anyone now voteing for Any of the unionist parties should have themselves committed. Westminster are just a shower of lieing, stealing, disgusting disgraceful, dishonest people. Oh, and while am at it, the english changed our MARITIME BORDER FROM Berwick up to CARNOUSTIE, effectively calling ENDINBURGH england. Anyone catch that one???????????????
25

Pavla,

Irvine 10/06/2009 19:12:10
This is like a company or individual suspected of fraud being allowed to audit their own accounts and then send the outcome to themselves,it's frankly so outrageous like a Monty Python sketch.He has more leaping lords in his cabinet than the 12 days of Christmas and to put the tin lid on it Margaret Beckett is putting her name forward for speaker you couldn't make it up!
26

Herry Oaksters,

10/06/2009 19:12:26
I have just seen a mad man trying to plead to the English electorate for votes.
Does Brown really think that by handing out medals to the substitutes of the England 1966 football team will paint him in a better shade of grey. What a sad deluded fool this man is.
Grovel, grovel Brown England wants rid of you and your ilk.
27

Earman,

Paphos 10/06/2009 19:19:02
Steady boys, steady. The end-game's afoot....don't indulge in diversions or distractions, expenses, unelected Prime and Deputy Prime Ministers, troughs, snouts etc etc.

Eyes front to the BIG picture, as Scotland ploughs on towards Independence, self-determination, and all the adult things that they bring.

No more, "it's THEIR fault", and "If it wisnae fur THEM..."

It's going to be stand-alone time, folks....that's what "Independence" means, so get ready to take control of our own destiny and our own ups and downs. I think we're ready for, DON'T YOU?
28

Herry Oaksters,

10/06/2009 19:26:17
28
Earman,Paphos .
It,s gonna be so easy, is Brown an SNP plant?
29

Sgian Achlais,

10/06/2009 19:59:00
28Earman, Paphos 10/06/2009 19:19:02

Aye, man. WE are ready.
30

Willie Mor,

10/06/2009 21:00:53
#23.

Thanks for the comments.

My outrage in all of this is that Gordon Brown assumed the premiership without having been through the rigors of an election.

All of his history shows that when faced with an electoral contest he prefers the closed door deals.

His government is an extremely unpopular one, and in an endeavour to shore up his shattered premiership he is creating unelected peers and lords to serve in his cabinet.

JG if you are a democrat at all you must know that this is not the ways of a democracy.

You must also know that all of this sleaze with expenses, the corruption arising out of the cash for questions / legislation etc, the secret multi million pound party donations (sorry loans!), the collapse of the banks through uncertain accounting, an illegal war in Iraq, all go to the heart of what is now a non-functioning democracy.

This is why I am angry and this is why, like millions and millions of others, I am unhappy about this un-elected PM and his un-elected government.

Yes JG, whilst I appreciate your comments in defense of your man and his party, please understand why I say what I say.

Thanks
31

Iainbroch,

10/06/2009 21:39:13
I forgot his brother has a cleaner! Could be a lifetimes supply of work for the poor soul - safe job for sure so much trash to get rid of!
32

oder,

Scotland 10/06/2009 22:02:44
what people want Mr Brown is not a corrupt parliament reformed! but the corrupt parliament gone! the entire parliament is tainted all MPs whether they actually took anything or not!all are guilty by association they knew and keep quite until the whole scandal was made public, and then the speaker Mr Martin was more concerned protecting MPs privileges than corruption in parliament it happened on your watch and you are responsible! the entire Labour party are now "unfit for purpose" the priority of most voters now is the cleansing of their parliament not reforming it and you are not the one or any other member of the labour party to accomplish this task.
33

Banana Heid,

Ayrshire 10/06/2009 22:40:59
I can't believe this guy is still PM doesnt anyone have the power to get rid of him and his thieving colleagues by pulling the plug? surely there is some sort of mechanism to eject bad rubbish...
34

Iainbroch,

10/06/2009 22:55:09
Considering the latest revelations concercing Malik, it is clear that Broonies decision to invute him back into the cabinet shows that Broonie cant be trusted to clean up expenses system - unless ofcourse he meant something entirely different when he said clean up!
35

Tartan Viking,

10/06/2009 23:01:56
"PRIME Minister Gordon Brown today set out plans for urgent legislative action to clean up Parliament in the wake of the expenses scandal."

Is he going to fire all MPs, now that Alan Sugar Daddy is on the payroll?
36

Autism Rights,

Ayrshire 10/06/2009 23:57:38
This isn't nearly good enough - PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION, and let's try and get the message out!

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/Our-Democracy/

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to ensure before he starts reforming our democracy that we are allowed to vote in a referendum on his proposals. More details
Submitted by Paul Hopkinson – Deadline to sign up by: 10 June 2010 – Signatures: 22
37

Brianwci,

11/06/2009 00:22:42
Brown outlines plans to clean up expenses system.

That's what I like about Brown......

..............................ALWAYS AHEAD OF THE CURVE!
38

Edward,

11/06/2009 00:59:52
'Clean up Expenses'
Thats a laugh! A government thats so corrupt with sleaze! Just cant be bothered listening to what that muppet Brown comes out with, ita all just complete garbage.
What the country wants IS a GENERAL ELECTION and we want it NOW!!!
39

Mercutio,

FALKIRK 11/06/2009 06:20:41
I see the Rt. Hon. Member for Banff and Buchan deigned to visit the Westminster Parliament for a wee while yesterday.
He attended the start and end of the dissolution debate, popping out for a couple of hours in between. To Fortnum and Mason perhaps to fill his food hamper?

 

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