A Response To My Objection;

I sent Hugh Bayley MP an email three days ago, regarding the proposal not to publish MP's expenses that the Prime Mentalist has today changed his mind on. I got a reply today;-

Dear [Bemused],

Thank you for your email about exemption of MPs from the normal Freedom of Information Act. There was no secret about the government’s proposal. It was tabled on the order paper in the normal way but I didn’t agree with it. I went to see government ministers and said I would not vote for changing the law to exempt Parliament from the Act. I am pleased that, following the representations that I and other Labour MPs made to the government, they have decided not to press ahead with this proposal.

The government has proposed a motion which, if carried, will require the House of Commons to publish information on members’ expenses in much greater detail. It proposes breaking down the expenses claims into 26 separate categories. This is a big step forward, but I don’t think it goes far enough and I have tabled an amendment which proposes that individual items of expenditure on “fixtures, fittings and furnishings in MPs’ second homes”, the so-called “John Lewis list”, should be published in full. I hope that the Speaker will call this amendment and that MPs from all parties will support it.

Yours sincerely,
Hugh Bayley MP

I just find myself wondering what the 646 might have sneaked through today, while their employers were busy thinking they actually can hold MP's accountable.