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MP's expenses - Mark Hunter

Mark Hunter MP for Cheadle

The editors of AboutMyArea/SK8 (Anna Triantis) and our sister website site AboutMyArea/SK7 (David Robertson) contacted our local MP Mark Hunter to ask his views on the shocking reports coming out of Westminster concerning MPs expenses.

Given the current controversy over MPs' expenses I thought local people might be interested in the views of their own MP on this fiasco. Let me start by saying that I share the outrage and disappointment that people across the country have expressed about this issue. For too long a number of MPs from all parties have used their expenses to boost their salary and the public are rightly enraged about the use of public money for private gain. To charge the taxpayer for home improvements, moat clearing and to buy houses using tax payers' money then pocket the capital gain when it's sold, are all unacceptable. The defence that it is within the rules simply does not stand up in these cases. Expenses should only be claimed costs necessary to the MP performing his or her public duties.

I think it's important to understand what expenses are for - under the current system all MPs need to claim some expenses in order to do their job. My constituency office in Cheadle Hulme, the supplies to run it, my staff, travel to and from London and my rented, furnished, 1 bed flat near Westminster are all paid for out of my expenses. These costs are published quarterly on my website (www.markhunter.org) with an explanation of what I claim and why. If readers have any questions at all about my expenses please feel free to contact me and I would be happy to give you more information. You will see I have made no claims at all on my home in Bramhall, nor have I made claims for a moat, helipad, swimming pool or tennis court!

The current system is clearly failing and I believe strongly that reform is not only necessary but vital if politicians are ever to regain the public trust. The system needs a complete overhaul, something that we as a party have been saying for some time. The Liberal Democrats called for second homes for London MPs to be banned, for expenses and receipts to be published openly so that the public could scrutinise them, and have long fought against attempts by Tory and Labour MPs to restrict Freedom of Information requests against MPs' expenses. On 3rd July last year Labour and Conservative MPs voted down a number of proposals from the cross-party Members Estimates Committee which were designed to tighten up MPs' expenses including introducing an external professional audit and insisting all claims (including those under £25) are backed by a receipt. The following day the Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg committed the party to following these proposals including independent spot checks of MPs' expenses. Nick Clegg has also called for house purchases using expenses to be banned, expenses relating to accommodation to be limited to rent, utility bills and council tax and for the designation of first and second homes to be independently approved to ensure value for money.

I am personally very disappointed in many of my fellow MPs; I have always broadly held that most people in all parties get involved in politics to serve the public and their local communities. The recent revelations about MPs' expenses have caused me to question this belief, and I know I'm not alone in this change of heart. I've had several constituents write to me saying they are outraged by the abuses revealed. It is now the responsibility of all of us in Parliament to work to regain trust and convince people not to turn away from the democratic system which I still believe in. The MPs involved need to radically rethink their attitude towards public service and reform of the system needs to happen fast.

Mark Hunter (MP for the Cheadle Constituency)   More news from Mark Hunter     Local News    What's on

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Comments

Jo D

At 12:45 on 14th May 2009, Jo D commented:

Amidst all the revelations it is good to read that not all politicians are corrupt and that some are in politics to serve their local communities. I think however it is going to be a mammoth job to regain the public's trust again. It desperately needs to be done however, as it would be very sad if people turned their back on politics because of these revelations.

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Anna Triantis

At 13:32 on 14th May 2009, Anna Triantis responded:

Yes - I agree that it is good to read that not all of our MP's have taken advantage of their expenses - especially our local MP Mark Hunter - this is such a relief, that at least he can look us in the eyes and we feel able to trust him! I pity voters in other parts of the country where this is not the case. Would not like to have an MP for this area who has fiddled their expenses as I would be so dissillusioned.

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