Trust fund: politicians will never win our confidence if the lack of transparency concerning their expenses--and the feeble sanctions against MPs who abuse the system--remain, Danielle Cohen recommends more discipline and rigour in parliamentary affairs.
| Author | Cohen, Danielle |
| Position | Ethics |
Whether it's Derek Conway MP paying a salary to his son--a full-time student--or Sir Nicholas Winterton MP claiming a rent allowance to live in his own mortgage-free home, the potential for politicians to misuse public money has been amply demonstrated yet again.
If an employee were caught claiming spurious expenses and pocketing the cash, it's likely that they would be dismissed instantly, criminal charges might be pursued and, at the very least, the money would have to be repaid. This isn't the case for members of the UK Parliament. Conway had the whip removed and he was suspended from the Conservative Party. He was not ordered to repay all the money that he'd claimed.
No immediate dismissal and a scant financial penalty sends the message that this kind of corruption is somehow acceptable in government. Sanctions are a key component of any ethics programme. In a corporate setting, unless rule-breakers are made an example of, codes of...
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