An historic clear-out?

Chris lancashire

There will be no resignations. It was "all within the rules".

Rhoda Klapp

A few sacrificial lambs is all we will get. Probably selected on the basis of their majorities. Just a swap of lobby fodder for the next lot of political class aspirants. Nothing to see here, let's draw a line under it and move on.

I'd like to see mass resignations and include some ministers and shadows, but I fear I will be disappointed.

Diswiss

None of them. It'll be " We didn't realise, we're sorry and we won't do it again "

Patrick

Will that mean mass by-elections too?

mitch

Suspect there won't be mass resignations at the time. Probably most will be 'retiring at the next election, as I always planned'.
Not quite the same impact.

Andrew

They'll just brazen out to the end of the current term, but I'd guess a lot of seats will be reselecting candidates this Autumn.

Ivan D

If Conway has neither quit his seat, not been expelled from the Commons by vote of his colleagues, why on earth will *anything* that emerges next cause anyone to actually resign from the House? This isn't a rhetorical questions. It's an actual question, as I strongly suspect Mr Hoskin simply hasn't thought through what he has written. So I repeat: why will there be any by-elections? Conway hasn't resigned, triggering one, nor has he been thrown out of the Commons. And whereas it's easy enough to see how one individual MP could have been either expelled, or lost without any great discomfit, it's a rather different situation with, say, several dozen MPs.

Jock

The question isn't whether or not there will be a clear out but will it be accelerated ie will it come before or as a result of the general election.

The problem here is one of a rotten culture - one where the idea that it is doing nothing wrong to behave disgracefully within rules which facilitate disgraceful behaviour.

Ministers, who should be setting an example, behave just as badly as backbench MPs. pausing only to lecture benefit cheats on the seriousness of stealing from honest taxpayers.

The purpose of paying MPs a decent wage and necessary expenses was to enable non-rich, non-privileged people to join the ranks of MPs. Instead the system has enabled MPs to join the ranks of the rich and privileged.

An interesting comparison would be to check how by much MPs personal finances and lifestyle have improved as a result of becoming an MP against how much their constituents situation had improved in the same period.

TrevorsDen

Whip withdrawn and deselected.

Only by-elections is they chose to resign.

Chuck Unsworth

What does Mrs Marr really know about anything at all? 'Historic clearout'? How remarkably silly.

Are any of these MPs principled or honourable? If so, why have they been making these claims which amount to outrageous fraud on the British public?

This Government (if one can call it that) came into power declaring that it would clean up politics, that it would be purer than pure. Well, pure it certainly has been - pure horseshit.

These people, our elected representatives, fill me with disgust. We can never trust them again. They have done more to damage our Democracy than any enemy could ever have done. They are, simply, traitors.

Liz Brown

resignations along the lines of the European Commissioners? Edith Cresson, Neil Kinnock and etcs

Ian Walker

I bet there won't be any attempt to get the money back. Just a mea culpa and a few token scalps.

I'd like to see the lot of them get the same treatment any other small businessman would get for fiddling their expenses, ie an HMRC investigation going back 7 years, all the money clawed back, a punitive fine and the threat of jail.

But that would be "fair", wouldn't it?

strapworld

There is no honour amongst thieves!

Draughtsman

No one will resign and I don't believe that it will affect public opinion of MPs anyway as a idle bunch of self opinionated freeloaders, with some obvious and honourable exceptions such as Frank Field. By the time the expenses revelations come the media and public will be obsessed with the swine flu pandemic anyway.

TCN

This will give lots of them the opportunity to spend more time with their families.

Bill d'Sarse

I think I'll save all of the guilty parties some valuable time. Here's a draft announcement, do feel free to use it:

As a result of the recent significant efforts of the Labour/Conservative/Liberal Democrat/Other* Party in ensuring total transparency of MPs expenses, it was brought to my attention that due to a clerical error by one of my junior staff, a number of transactions were inadvertently claimed as legitimate expenses. These claims were considered by a very junior member of my very small and overworked administrative staff as essential to the fulfilment of my duties as an MP, a view I do not share. As I have been completely immersed in the duties required of me as an MP/ {insert dubious Government initiative}*, I have been unable to personally supervise and audit all of my expense items put forward as claims. It could never be said that helicopter rides/foreign holidays/ villas in Tuscany/ weekend spa visits in first class hotels / cars/other* for me and members of my extended family/secretary* could ever be associated with the important work of the elected representative for {insert constituency}. Now that these errors have now been brought to my attention, I can assure my constituents and the hard-working, tax-paying public that we have identified lessons to be learnt that will ensure that errors such as these will not be repeated in the future. The junior member of staff has been subject to disciplinary action and the monies claimed are to be repaid. This is now the time to draw the line under the matter and get on with the important work we carry out as Members of Parliament. Thank you.

*delete as necessary

Ronnie

Everything penny was received in good faith, within the rules as the reluctant recipients understood them at the time. They deeply regret that the public perception is that MPs deliberately sought to take undue advantage of the parliamentary expenses regime while persuing their work in the service of the British people.

Alistair Thomas

How much worse than J Smith can it get, and she is still in the cabinet, let alone an MP.

I googled Conway to see what had happened to that thief. Deselected certainly, but apparently still an Independent MP vowing to stand down at next election. Hardly justice is it?

All this 'Consensus' and 'Cross party' support is just an excuse to keep the gravy train rolling for a few more yards, just a few more receipts.

Parties should have their own code, immediately. They should vet all expenses of their MPs so can never claim to be in the dark. By all means keep on talking to create a system which works for everybody, the public first and foremost, but act yesterday.

Kittler

What a load of hypocritical whining. The people get the representation they deserve, its probably better than they deserve. The complaint is not about the expenses or the slease but about not having access to a trough themselves.

Verity

Conway was not just employing family members,including his son who was a full time student at uni a couple of hundred miles away, but the son's boyfriend, too.

I think Conway trumps even Jacqui Smith.

hadrian

Oh, well, every MP needs a 'plug' as Jaqui Smith proves. Now they'll all be swirling down the drain. What a shame!

Glynis

I am still totally incensed by the shear contempt these people have towards us the tax payer, particularly the incompetant Mrs smith et al. We should INSIST they are prosecuted for their THEFT of public money. AND OF COURSE FINED AND MADE TO PAY BACK EVERY SINGLE PENNY.