Expenses: The questions your MP won't answer
East Yorkshire’s MPs have refused to answer a series of questions posed by the Mail about the expenses scandal.
Following the scandal which has rocked Westminster, we drafted a series of questions to MPs in a bid to discover more about their attitudes towards expenses and the morality of using taxpayers’ money to furnish their second homes.
-
The 20 questions addressed a number of issues including whether the politicians feel let down by colleagues who have abused the system, whether those playing the system are morally wrong, what should the electorate have a right to know, will they make all their expenses details public if they haven’t already and what they feel needs to be done to clean up politics.
These questions were sent to Hull North MP Diana Johnson, Hull West and Hessle MP Alan Johnson, Hull East MP John Prescott, Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart, East Yorkshire MP Greg Knight, Haltemprice and Howden MP David Davis and Brigg and Goole MP Ian Cawsey.
We believe their constituents have a right to know the answers to what are reasonable, measured questions about such a major political issue.
The MPs were given one week to come back with their answers.
But shortly before the deadline, all the MPs except Mr Prescott came back to with a joint statement on expenses – instead of answering the specific detailed questions.
In the statement, the other MPs said: “Members of Parliament need to re-establish the necessary bond of trust with the electorate who are understandably angry about some of the abuses to the system that have been revealed.
“While the system was lax and poorly administered, this does not diminish the personal responsibility on each of us to make reasonable and justifiable claims.”
The Mail has still not received any kind of response from Mr Prescott or his office.
*For the full list of questions and the statement from the MPs, see today's Mail.
*What do you think about the MPs' response? Email letters@mailnewsmedia.co.uk.
45 Comments
View all
by Jamie, Hull
Tuesday, June 16 2009, 5:50AM
“Why would an MP waste their time answering these silly questions. The HDM are just trying to jump on the expenses bandwagon. The HDM is just a small local rag trying to boost its sales by asking pointless questions which are just aimed at embarrassing the MPs, so why even get involved.”
by paul, hull
Monday, June 15 2009, 10:20PM
“THEY WONT ANSWER ,BECAUSE THERE ARE ALL CROOKS ,THATS WHY”
by Bob, Hull
Monday, June 15 2009, 6:44PM
“One thing's for certain, people in power do not really want democracy and be accountable to the electorate, they all want control, control and control. Government is not like running a big corporation, although those in power think and behave as if it is.”
by rob, in despair
Monday, June 15 2009, 5:28PM
“We have all been 5hafted by these greedy political misfits. I'm just waiting to hear that one of them has claimed for durex on his expenses. What's known as claiming for your mates..I think”
by Mr Benn, Speaker's lobby
Monday, June 15 2009, 3:32PM
“Chris inYork...you come across as a a real facetious count, you do. If you're 'owt like the others your a crook, too. Not worthy...blah, blah”
by peteg, Kingston upon Hull
Monday, June 15 2009, 3:08PM
“Phil, the Free City of Kingston upon Hull, I'm with you all the way.
No way would I vote BNP, because we are only seeing the populist policies from them.
It's like Hitler, offering the German people 'Guns or Butter'.
Like our Downing Street dogsbodies, No mention of a Second World War then.
I've just heard on the telly, Brown is going to authorise the Iraq Enquiry, but I understand he is writing the script for each participant. and it will be entitled, 'You'd Better Believe It'......or else..”
by Slippery Sid, getting nagged at by her indoors
Monday, June 15 2009, 2:53PM
“Get shut of all of them and then Bring Back The Monster Raving Loonies .......”
by Greenman, Hull
Monday, June 15 2009, 1:32PM
“Green all the way !!”
by Alan, Hull
Monday, June 15 2009, 1:32PM
“I think we should all nominate Cllr Minns and the saintly Healy for a knighthood.
He said "If I was in their position I would have no hesitation in answering them. I am very surprised they haven't"
You must think we are all as mad as a box of frogs I'm sure Mr Minns you would also be putting your name to a collective letter as well.”
by Phil, The free city of Kingston upon Hull
Monday, June 15 2009, 1:23PM
“Peteg, of course the BNP are not a threat to British Democracy and Freedom. They would need to go a lot further down the road to power before they can really influence government. In the mean time we can use them for protesting because we are stuck in a rut with Labour and Lib Dem councillors and MP's. These are the people who seek to erode our freedom to choose who we elect by condemning thousands of local protest voters. Have the Lib Dems changed their name yet because they are no longer Democrats. Like you, who has stopped voting Labour after 45 years, I am astonished they still get any support, who supports even closer EU integration and open borders mass immigration anyway? We are free to kick all these stale old politicians out if we want.”