Expenses
When the expenses scandal first broke, policy proposals exploded from every quarter, as all three party leaders desperately tried to appear ahead of the pack during a period of unprecedented drama in Westminster. From the deselection of MPs to electoral reform, ideas came from every corner.
And then, suddenly, there was consensus. As Sir Christopher Kelly’s review was being written up, Nick Clegg, Lib Dem leader, called for all three parties to sign up for its recommendations, before it had even been published. That suggestion was eventually taken up.
The consensus that emerged around the Kelly review has been somewhat overwhelmed by the creation of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa). Ipsa is currently consulting on the proposed changes to the system, taking on board Sir Christopher’s views but reserving the right to come to different solutions. The chance of any political party objecting to Ipsa’s decisions is virtually nil.
Should Labour retain power, Harriet Harman has confirmed that legislation or standing orders will be put down as necessary depending on the outcome of the Ipsa consultation.
In addition to the Ipsa recommendations, the Tories propose cutting the perks and bureaucracy associated with parliament. Ministerial pay would be cut by five per cent and frozen for the rest of the parliament while the number of MPs would be cut by ten per cent – a move Labour branded arbitrary during a recent debate on voting reform. The Tories estimate they can save £120 million through the measures, which would also see the end of subsidised food and drink in the Palace of Westminster.
Related Tory policies would see a doubling of the time period in which minister cannot lobby government from one to two years, and a re-writing of the ministerial code so that any ex-minister who ignores guidance issued by the advisory committee on business appointments will lose some or all of their ministerial pension.
The Liberal Democrats seized on the expenses scandal as an opportunity to push for a more wide-ranging set of parliamentary reforms. The party wants MPs to be recalled if they are suspended for misconduct – a policy echoed by Labour. Party funding would be reformed, the House of Lords replaced with an elected second chamber and the prime minister would lose his power to choose the date of the general election.
