Seeing as both the North Devon Gazette and North Devon Journal both told me that they don’t buy stories, I’m left to just putting this one up here.
Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon, Nick Harvey, described public concern over MPs’ allowances as “erroneous” in a speech he made to the House of Commons back in June 2008.
Mr Harvey was presenting a bill to reform the expenses system for MPs when he said: “I do not need to tell Members that the impression created in the national media has not reflected well on this House as an institution or on its Members. The public believe, quite erroneously in my view, that our allowances are excessive, that there are irregularities in the way in which Members claim those allowances and that the systems in this place are lax. I repeat that those are not my views, but that is the impression out there among the general public, and that is the context in which the Members Estimate Committee has conducted its investigations and the basis on which we have brought forward our recommendations.”
He seemed to concede that it was public opinion forcing the Commons into a position of reform, rather than MPs recognising that there is a genuine systemic issue.
However, on Mr Harvey’s website he says: “Unfortunately the media have acted like the row over MPs allowances has come out of the blue, however for those with longer memories you will recall I was involved with the ‘Review of Allowances’ in June 2008, which recognised the situation was fatally out of hand” in an apparent u-turn with his feeling towards the public’s views on MPs’ expenses. He now appears to agree that public outrage is rooted deeply in a genuine problem, despite his previous disagreement.
When asked to clarify where he currently stands, Mr Harvey said: “Obviously I did not know in July 2008 what I know now, and I have been astonished by some of what has come to light. There is no doubt that some claims have indeed been excessive and I could not offer the general assurance now which I believed then to be justified. I don’t believe that the level of allowances was or is excessive, but some of the individual claims clearly have been.”
He said that the report proposed “more comprehensive audit arrangements as well as ending the ability to claim for purchases of household and electrical goods, furniture and home improvements” and maintains that they should have been adopted.
He added: “The speech I made on 3 July 2008 was obviously a pitch to try and get the House to back a package of measures in which I had invested a lot of time and effort – to try and browbeat the House would hardly have been productive. Had I succeeded the House would have been in a better position today. I note with interest that some of those who have found themselves in the firing line were among those who voted down the reforms.
”There remains a strong need for further reform.”
