Calls to dissolve parliament
By politics.co.uk staff
The fierce reaction over the publications of MPs’ expenses has prompted calls for parliament to be dissolved and a general election held.
Politicians have been taken aback by the extent of public anger over the issue, which has been drip-fed into the public domain by the Daily Telegraph over the last few days.
Lord Naseby, former deputy Commons Speaker, The World This Weekend: “It is quite awful. The majority of members do a genuine job, work hard and try and look after their constituents’ interest. It brings the whole status of parliament right down into the pits.
“I think frankly, if this runs and runs, then parliament should be dissolved, I think they have to start again.”
He continued: “The Great British public has lost confidence and I think that it is extremely serious. And if it is that serious then there is only one way of dealing with it, that is to dissolve parliament.
“After all, an election is due within a year now. So I think the prime minister has to face up to it, that not only is the economy in dire trouble, but now the very foundations of our democracy appear to be in dire trouble and in those circumstances we need a general election.”
Speaker Michael Martin is expected to announce that MPs official expenses will now be published sooner than expected, although the information released by the Telegraph is far more useful because it includes details about addresses.
