'Stitch-up' reports over MPs' expenses
Updated on 07 November 2009
There are accusations of a "behind-the-scenes stitch-up" following reports that key elements of the proposed plan to clean up the system of MPs' expenses could be scrapped.
There are accusations of a "behind-the-scenes stitch-up" following reports that key elements of the proposed plan to clean up the system of MPs' expenses could be scrapped.
Sir Christopher Kelly, the chairman of the Committee for Standards in Public Life, published his keenly awaited plan to clean up the system in the wake of the expenses scandal earlier this week .
However it was reported that Professor Sir Ian Kennedy, who has been appointed to head the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, is set to drop some of the main recommendations.
The Daily Telegraph claims that he had concerns about the proposals to ban MPs from employing family members and to force them to return the profits from the sale of second homes bought with assistance from the taxpayer.
The newspaper quotes Sir Ian as saying he has "no obligation" to implement Sir Christopher's report which was "only one of the bases of the conversation" over the future of MPs' allowances.
According to the reports, Sir Ian is now planning to run his own consultation exercise before deciding which of Sir Christopher's recommendations he will accept.
Sir Ian is quoted to have expressed concern that some of the recommendations could be open to legal challenge.
"There are employment lawyers who are skirmishing.
"There are tax lawyers who are saying there are capital gains issues,"
Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker has said that he is "deeply dismayed" by the reports.
He claims the changes Sir Ian is reportedly considering could undermine Sir Christopher's report and open the door for those MPs opposed to his findings to re-open the whole issue.
