Angry scenes in the Commons as MPs fight back on expenses
Monday, 11 May 2009 5:06 PM
By politics.co.uk staff
MPs in the House of Commons today expressed anger and frustration at the focus on their expenses triggered by the Daily Telegraph.
Making a statement to confirm to MPs that their expenses may be published earlier than planned as a result of the leak, Speaker Michael Martin faced a chamber of angry conflicting views.
Far from apologising, many MPs appeared disgust at the original leaking of the information.
Mr Martin was one of those who appeared to be losing his cool, at one point nearly shouting at MPs who contradicted his views.
When Kate Hoey, Labour MP for Vauxhall, asked whether it wise to call the police about the leak, she earned the following vitriolic response: "It's easy to say to the press this should not happen, it's a wee bit more difficult when you don't just have to give quotes to the press.
"Some of us in this House have other responsibilities rather than just talking to the press."
Lib Dem MP Norman Baker, who has led on the issue for several months, earned a similar response.
The Speaker's attitude was defended by several MPs, who appeared unaware of the level of public anger prompted by the revelations.
Tory backbencher Ann Widdicomb said: "Can I ask that we do keep our heads and not be driven by what is happening?"
Mr Martin did, however, confirm an independent body would audit the system.
"Leaving aside the legal aspect," he told MPs, "the House has to make serious change to the system of allowances. We know that there will be further changes with proper independent audit assistance."
The scandal spread this morning when details of Tory expenses were published by the newspaper, revealing several of the party's frontbenchers made questionable claims.
In other developments, the prime minister apologised "on behalf of all politicians" and David Cameron called on MPs to come clean.
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