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David Heath welcomes new speaker
David Heath, has welcomed John Bercow to his new position of Speaker of the House.
The speaker elections took place on Monday 22nd of June. John Bercow received 322 votes, his nearest competitor, Sir George Young, received 271 in the final round of secret voting to decide who would take on the role.
Speaking in debate Mr Bercow said: “I want to implement an agenda for reform, for renewal, for revitalisation, and for the reassertion of the core values of this great institution in the context of the 21st century.”
Mr Heath said: "The role of the speaker needs to change drastically if it is going to have an impact on how Parliament is run, as well as how it is perceived. It is a great task that John Bercow has ahead of him, one that will require support from MPs from all political parties. As someone who has championed reform consistently, I will be supporting moves to change Parliament for the better.”
David Heath calls for maximum transparency on expenses
David Heath, has today given evidence to the Committee on Standards in Public Life.
Mr Heath has urged the committee, chaired by Sir Christopher Kelly, to reform to the system of expenses.
The inquiry has come after a national newspaper unearthed farcical items such as manure and duck houses that had been claimed for by MPs.
Speaking on London accommodation, Mr Heath said that it is necessary for those with constituencies at a large distance from London to have a second home so that they can do their job properly. However he stated that the current system of claiming housing expenses is open to abuse.
Mr Heath advocated a system where MPs would live in rented property, where the payment of rent would be agreed between the House authorities and the Landlord so that no money would pass through MPs hands. By reform the system in this way the expenses system cannot be taken advantage of.
Mr Heath criticised the House for not accepting the recommendation to introduce a full independent audit a year ago and called for a system based on “maximum transparency” by using an external audit to ensure that all expenses claimed are necessary.
Mr Heath also spoke about how MPs staff members are paid. At present staff pay is lumped in with other expenses. He said that the current system suggests that having staff is a desirable asset rather than a necessity.
Whilst Gordon Brown has proposed that MPs staff should be employed centrally, Mr Heath cautioned that staff need autonomy from the House so that they can work effectively on behalf of constituents.
Mr Heath said: "Living in the heart of Somerset, it has not been possible for me to commute to and from London for the kinds of hours that I work in Parliament. I've not feel comfortable with the second homes system, and have chosen to rent.
"The abuses that have come to light have not only undermined the confidence that the public had in Parliament, but they have also shocked MPs such as myself who had not considered abuses possible from other MPs. This is why transparency and effective policing of any new system of expenses is incredibly important.
"I hope that the committee will appreciate that sudden transitions may cause difficulties for MPs who do not enjoy substantial personal financial assets. I do not want to see people discouraged from becoming MPs because they cannot afford the massive costs that it takes to do the job.”
David Heath calls for a general election
David Heath yesterday evening called for Parliament to be dissolved and a general election to be held.
The debate, called by the Scots & Welsh nationalist parties, came after a devastating week for the government after many ministerial resignations and poor Local and European election results.
Mr Heath who is the shadow Leader of the House for the Liberal Democrats, argued that the Government lacked leadership
As Members of Parliament face scrutiny over their expenses claims the “collapse in respect” amongst the public is damaging for democracy, it is at this time that greater leadership is needed.
Mr Heath told the House that a cabinet reshuffle, which includes seven unelected members, will not be enough to win back the trust of the public.
He continued by saying “there is a conspicuous lack of talent in the elected house…or perhaps those who have the talent will not serve in [Gordon Brown's] cabinet”.
Mr Heath challenged Mr Brown’s view that he is the man to reform the house. He cited the many times that Mr Brown had been an “obstacle to reform”.
Mr Heath said: “There is a clear conclusion that we can draw from last week’s election results and ministerial walk-outs: it is that the Prime Minister lacks the confidence of his colleagues and more importantly of the people of Britain.
"This is a crucial time and what we need is strong leadership on matters of public policy as well as internal House issues and we have yet to see this from Brown's government."