They Just Don't Get It Do They?

Labour plots to keep MPs’ allowances under wraps in the future

Senior Labour figures say that the future privatisation of the Fees Office to process claims would exempt receipts from publication under Freedom of Information rules.

Do they not understand? Are they hard of thinking? They are public employees entrusted with public money. After the revelations of the last few days and particularly in a recession, what is so hard to comprehend about the public having a right to know where it goes and how it's spent?

As a Jury Team candidate, every penny of public money that passes through my hands will be published and made available for public scrutiny. For the last six years I've had an expense account in my job and every single claim has been accompanied by a receipt and an explanation. I haven't even claimed for bridge tolls because I couldn't supply a receipt.

As for allowances, don't they understand that a maximum figure is not a target?

I've seen it happen so many times that managers of departments are given a budget and they think they must spend it all. There's a golden rule in business - if you don't absolutely need it, you don't buy it or spend money on it.

But MPs know little of the real world obviously. They're not used to anyone saying "No" to them.

That's why Jury Team is different. We're drawn directly from the ranks of the public. Business people, charity workers, Public Sector employees, people from all walks of life who actually look like and talk like the public we represent. For us, it's not about who we know but what we know and the most important thing is we know what it's like to live under a political system where politicians just do not have a clue how we actually live.

In under four weeks, we have a chance to really shake up politics, to start a ripple that will spread and gather pace. Ordinary people working honestly and openly, with a passion to change things for the better. We're not careerists, we haven't spent years scratching backs and stockpiling favours to be paid back. Our loyalty is solely to our peers - the public.

A vote for Jury Team is a vote for yourself.
On June 4th, do yourself a favour, you deserve it.