Last Thursday, I wrote a post about the expenses scandal hitting Harlow, following the relevation of the local MPs expenses in the Star and Herald. Well, since that posting and on my rounds - out and about in Harlow - a number of people, have mentioned this issue to me, asking me what my views are.
Having thought about this quite hard - and, despite the political temptation - I am not going to comment on the individual items of expenditure that the MP has spent our taxes on. I still believe that the best judgements for this should be made individually, by local constituents, who should be able to see the expenditure items of the MP. We can then make our minds up accordingly, as to whether, he has taken advantage of the expenses/allowances, or done what is correct and necessary, in his position as an MP.
I do believe however, there is an urgent need for Mr Rammell to do two courses of action:
First: as a matter of priority, to publish all his expenses and allowances online (without black out areas - as the House of Commons has done). He should do this from 1997, when he was first elected as MP for Harlow. Many other Parliamentarians have now published their own details on the Internet, including Ministers, so there is no reason why our MP cannot make this information available.
Second: Mr Rammell should hold an open public meeting for all his consituents, so as to answer their concerns about his expenses/allowances. The MP, often holds public meetings on a huge range of issues, and it is only right that he has one on the matter of his expenses and allowances.
By holding a Public Meeting, the Mr Rammell can answer, or even allay, concerns from local residents and set out why he spent the expenses and allowances in the way that he did.
Many other MPs, from all parties caught up in the expenses scandal, have held public meetings, in order to justify themselves to their constituents. What better way to demonstrate openness and transparency, than to meet with his constituents and explain his actions?
One of the reasons this expenses scandal has come about, is because there was a culture of secrecy and 'an old boys network' in Parliament. By publishing all the receipts on his own website from 1997, and holding a public meeting, Mr Rammell would show that this culture of secrecy is over - at least for his Harlow constituents.
Having thought about this quite hard - and, despite the political temptation - I am not going to comment on the individual items of expenditure that the MP has spent our taxes on. I still believe that the best judgements for this should be made individually, by local constituents, who should be able to see the expenditure items of the MP. We can then make our minds up accordingly, as to whether, he has taken advantage of the expenses/allowances, or done what is correct and necessary, in his position as an MP.
I do believe however, there is an urgent need for Mr Rammell to do two courses of action:
First: as a matter of priority, to publish all his expenses and allowances online (without black out areas - as the House of Commons has done). He should do this from 1997, when he was first elected as MP for Harlow. Many other Parliamentarians have now published their own details on the Internet, including Ministers, so there is no reason why our MP cannot make this information available.
Second: Mr Rammell should hold an open public meeting for all his consituents, so as to answer their concerns about his expenses/allowances. The MP, often holds public meetings on a huge range of issues, and it is only right that he has one on the matter of his expenses and allowances.
By holding a Public Meeting, the Mr Rammell can answer, or even allay, concerns from local residents and set out why he spent the expenses and allowances in the way that he did.
Many other MPs, from all parties caught up in the expenses scandal, have held public meetings, in order to justify themselves to their constituents. What better way to demonstrate openness and transparency, than to meet with his constituents and explain his actions?
One of the reasons this expenses scandal has come about, is because there was a culture of secrecy and 'an old boys network' in Parliament. By publishing all the receipts on his own website from 1997, and holding a public meeting, Mr Rammell would show that this culture of secrecy is over - at least for his Harlow constituents.
P.S. You may be interested in reading this article which I wrote last week, which also contains weblinks to the Star and Herald.
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