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April 04, 2008

MPs expenses revealed and not many dead

So the Commons have finally shown a bit of leg on expenses, after waiting until the last possible moment they released details of the expenses of around a dozen prominent MPs. And guess what: it's a;; fine. No screaming headlines tomorrow as far as I can tell. Amusement over Gordon's cleaning bill and Prezza's food bill and size of the Cameron/Osborne mortgage interest claims, but frankly the world hasn't stopped turning.

So why, Mr Speaker, spend tens of thousands of pounds and three years trying to fight to it?

Sam Coates on April 04, 2008 at 18:31 | Permalink Bookmark and Share

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Comments

For the same reason most local authorities are refusing other similar requests - because it sets a precedent.
No headlines this time, but if someone bungs an FOI in now, or five years time, for the latest payments, then there might be.

Posted by: David MacLean | 4 Apr 2008 22:48:19

"So why Mr. Speaker........." Because we have only just scratched the surface.

Posted by: Bryan Davies | 5 Apr 2008 11:17:50

Umm... Mr Speaker's not interested in what these MPs' claims reveal - he's worried about what HIS expenses claims will reveal.

Release these and there's no reason not to release his.

I'd give him til the end of the summer recess, if that...

Posted by: James Davenport | 5 Apr 2008 23:40:45

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    Sam Coates is Chief Political Correspondent for The Times, based in the Houses of Parliament. Red Box is a rolling insider guide to Westminster.

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