Blogging MP Lynne Featherstone offers her take on the case of Derek Conway, the Conservative MP who allegedly paid his sons for work they did not do out of taxpayers' money. Lynne will appear on Sky.Com News tonight at 7.30pm:

As an MP there are many bizarre and antiquated customs to learn and none more so than how to address other MPs in the House of Commons chamber.

There is my ‘learned honourable member’ for lawyers, ‘brave honourable’ for former soldiers and so on.  The common theme is that all MPs are honourable or at least that’s the theory.

When an MP is caught with what appears to be blatant disregard for the proper use of the resources Parliament puts at our disposal, the whole notion of our honour is brought into question.

Not in the stale cobwebbed way of how MPs address each other in House of Commons, but in the way the people we represent see us. 

In spite of a popular perception to the contrary, my feeling is that the vast majority of MPs are honest.

But I do understand why people question this. The Derek Conway affair highlights some whopping shortfalls in the accountability of how MPs are allowed to sign off their expenses and the lack independent auditing.

Day in day out I question how taxpayers money is spent by the government therefore it is perfectly reasonable that the taxpayer should be able to question how I spend their money.

If we want voters to believe that we are honourable members, we simply cannot be afraid to open ourselves to real independent scrutiny.

:: CLICK HERE for more details of what will be discussed on Sky.Com News tonight at 7.30pm.

Comments

[Andy Roberts North Wales 3 Feb 2008 18:22:40]

When are the British Public going to wake up to whats going on under their noses ? People like Derek Conway get away this sort of thing day in day out and nothing is ever done about it, they are spitting in face of hard working british people,and seem to be above the normal laws we all have to live by.

[1 Feb 2008 13:07:36]

The one thing that I have not seen mentioned anywhere yet, is that last year a private members bill was 'moved through' parliament, to ensure that the MP's could conceal their expenses and now they are all squealing for transparency. Who do they think they are fooling? Most now appear to have more faces than the clock on the building they inhabit.

[Khalid 31 Jan 2008 16:31:19]

Maam
The fact of the matter is that this debacle has been created by those that make such laws pertaining trust, and what a slap on the face they have given not only to the public at large, but honourable colleagues within. MP's perception has been at an all time low in many a case, so ["How Will I Know"] next time round ["Whitney Houston"] will practice what it preaches and common sense prevails? Perosnally, I have never had the urge to cook the books, cos it aint worth the old grey matter.

[Brian Butt 31 Jan 2008 14:25:46]

My wife has just received a laughable increase in her weekly State Pension,from April 7, of £2.38.Still, at least after all the years of working, bringing up a family and trying to live within her means, she can sleep at nights, unlike I suspect, the 'honourable gentleman Conway' and his family brood of scroungers and fraudsters.

[John Brown, Stockton on Tees 31 Jan 2008 14:25:45]

The silence was deafening in the commons yesterday when MP's from all parties shamefully avoided raising Derek Conway's theft. The public are quiet right to believe that parliament is corrupt from top to bottom, when not even a single MP had the guts to raise a question. Perhaps it was the rattling of over 600 skeletons throughout the Palace of Westminster that distracted their attention during PM's questions.

Honourable...The British soldier underequipped in Afghanistan is honourable....

The parasitic liars, fraudsters and jobsworths from all parties that infest the House of Commons should hide their hides in shame when they use the word....

[Geoff, Fife 31 Jan 2008 14:04:19]

Why is this MP only being asked to repay £13,000 when by all accounts he "paid" his son nearly £26,000? And why is he not being asked to repay the money "paid" to his offspring in previous years? And why is he not being prosecuted for fraud or theft? Surely claiming money to which you are not entitled or not earned is fraud or theft?
And how can Sir George Young praise him prompt admission of wrongdoing over the amount paid to his son?
And why did he apologise to the House of Commons? Surely his apology should have been directed towards the public, after these are the people he is meant to be working for and from whom he has taken this money.
So many questions - no answers!!

[Des FitzGerald, London 31 Jan 2008 13:32:11]

MPs are not honest for the very fact that to actually become an MP you have to lie and cheat your way through the party selection process so the rot has already set in. Then if you do get to Westminster you are so removed from reality with the bizarre out of date manner in which you work it's no wonder that the longer a person is in that environment the more smug, conceited and arrogant they get.

The whole system needs an overhaul the likes of which should make MPs blood run cold it would be so through but which party will have the guts to start the ball rolling.

[george Livingston 31 Jan 2008 13:12:18]

Why are people suprised? This has been going on for years both in public and private business for generations. The only way to stop it is to pay the MP's a set wages and then there local council should be responsible for dealing with mail etc. If they want to employ family/friends or generally screw the system it should come out of their own pocket. But this will never happen, a few weeks and he will be forgotten and then brought back through the back door. Or am i being Cynical?

[Ian Bristol 30 Jan 2008 20:05:30]

It just goes to show MP's are only in it for themselves, thats why I dont vote.

[Clive Taylor - Hampshire 30 Jan 2008 19:52:14]

As a fully paid up member of the Conservative Party. I am still outraged at this abuse of power and feel he should be prosecuted for THEFT. If I stole £45000 from my employer I feel sure they would prosecute me and I would loss my Job that very DAY.I have absolutely no trust or faith in any MP, I do not believe a word they say and will be resigning from the Conservative Party forthwith.

[ANDREW FINCH shrewsbury 30 Jan 2008 19:30:17]

i hope there will be full police investigation in to mr conways behavior standing down i hope is not a way to remove himself from a police investigation

[Kev, Cheshire 30 Jan 2008 19:25:24]

If MP's are honest why do they renege on their promises such as tuition fees, single sex hospital wards, referendums on EU constitutions (sorry, treaties) and other minor matters? Why do they never give a straight answer? Why do they spend millions on criminals and then expect the elderly to pay for their own care? And the biggy... Pary Funding. How can anyone take MP's seriously when with cash for honours and recent donor scandals they still plead innocence. In the real world businessmen who behaved like this would be jailed. I'm sorry, MP's are in it for themselves. i mean, what other job can you earn £100K for without the need for a single qualification?

[John - Ipswich 30 Jan 2008 19:25:11]

I have only the facts of this Conway case that have been made available to me through the media, but it strikes me that Lynn is talking a lot of sense. What Conway and his sons are alledged to have done is suitable for a police investigation for deception and fraud. But, more important, what he has done is show a total disrespect for the people that put him in the position to represent us. There are many families that work hard at full time jobs to earn what the son has earned whilst studying full time at university. I don't know what is so difficult for MP's. You receive a donation or consideration, you record it within 30 days. You employ someone, they have to actually go to work and provide the service. It's bad enough paying the wife to answer the phone and take messages and book appointments. Time for the cobwebs to be blown away from this gentlemans club. Tighten the rules on taxpayers money, transparency and attendance and voting by MP's. When we see the noses lifted out of the trough and sensible government for the good of the nation then perhaps the electorate will be encouraged to participate.

[jeremy grove brighton 30 Jan 2008 18:12:44]

personally im fed up with it all, it seems to me that all gthe mpney we have taken away from us in taxes is used only for the self endulgent politicians to use to imporve themselves and not improve conditions in this country, we elect these people to a job and all the time they abuse there position of trust. when will somebody find some ancient law where we can replace mps if they are found to have fallen flat on there promises( there goes the government)
there are so many issues an ordinary person like me can see and also see how to resolve them i cant believe these highly educated people cannot see whats in front of there noses,

[Arthur, Lancashire 30 Jan 2008 18:03:31]

The public must currently see M.P's of both parties and the M.E.P's as animals with their snouts in the trough, (and that is an insult to the animals) and they are the ones who have been found out. What is even more infuriating is that the speaker ruled that disclosure of the salaries of M.P's relatives would "prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs" which is the green light to carry on doing it. Honourable? - don,t make me laugh