Writing to every Member of Parliament this week, Lanark and Hamilton East MP, Jim Hood called for Sir Christopher Kelly’s Standards Watchdog’s Inquiry into MP’s Allowances to be fast-tracked and given powers to impose a new Pay and Allowances system on MP’s from 1st July 2009.
In his letter Mr. Hood said,
“There is no way MP’s can resolve any of the issues concerning MP’s Pay, Salaries & Allowances. The Party leaders Messrs Brown, Cameron & Clegg are the last people on this planet to tell MP’s what should happen. I find the spectacle of GB. DC & NC in the proverbial political auction, bidding and counter bidding against each other, embarrassing and unhelpful.
The ACA allowance (second home) is no longer sustainable and must end and end quickly!. What replaces it must NOT be decided by MP’s whether in the interim as some suggest or in any other form. I would much prefer Sir Christopher Kelly’s Standards Watchdog’s inquiry to be fast-tracked and for its conclusions to be imposed on MP’s. Only then can we extricate ourselves from the mire of public scorn over people’s perception that all MP’s are “at it”.
In a nutshell, MP’s are part of the problem and therefore should not and cannot be part of the solution. I know some colleagues will need to be dragged to the “cleansing well” but it is the only way. Sir Christopher Kelly may not be comfortable in the role of a John the Baptist, but maybe a bit of divine intervention is what is needed”.