The Greenwell Society

Michael Martin’s clumsy handling of MP’s expense claims has broken 300 years of historical constancy. MPs took the unprecedented step of pressuring him to step down from his coveted position of speaker of the House of Commons.

Michael Martin’s role was integral to the smooth running of Parliament, ensuring MPs follow the rules of the house during debates, and managing the fees office of Parliament. However, the accusations put forward by The Telegraph have seriously jeopardized Martin’s position, as he gravely miscalculated the importance of managing the fees office. This was of particular significance considering the current economic climate, as so many members of the public were incensed by the ‘laissez faire’ attitude adopted by Martin.

It was this laidback attitude that confirmed many MP’s views that he should be forced to resign, after failing to issue a public apology for his actions. David Winnick MP, a senior labour backbencher told Mr Martin directly: “it would be very useful to the reputation of this house –and I say this with reluctance but I say it all the same-if you gave some indication of your intention to retire. Your early retirement, sir, would help the reputation of the house”.

Martin was accused of “disgraceful conduct” in the Commons, just one of many comments relating to his reputation in the house. Lib Dem MP Norman Baker called it “absolutely disgraceful-the speaker should be leading us out of this mess (MP’s expense scandals), instead, he made it plain he wants to defend vested interests”. Michael Martin has been criticized from all sides over the expense claims, and is facing the consequences of his mismanagement and ignorance to detail.

Due to the need for a vote of confidence, Michael Martin declared that he will “relinquish the office of Speaker on Sunday, 21st June” to ensure that “unity can be maintained in the House of Commons.”

These are some tumultuous and tempestuous times in the House of Commons. The question is now who will take the reins of the House?

By Sophie Larner, Becky Godfrey and Catherine Day

Is the Mother of all Parliaments still full of ‘honourable’ members?

It first became obvious that MP’s were abusing their expenses or ‘additional costs allowance’ when the Tory MP Derek Conway was discovered to have been paying his sons for work that they supposedly did for him in Westminster, while both boys were seemingly attending Universities at the other end of the country. David Cameron reacted quickly and released Conway from the Tory Whip. However, information released by The Daily Telegraph has illustrated that Conway was by no means alone in his misdemeanours and that almost all MPs have been ‘abusing’ the expenses system and this has opened up serious questions about just how easy the system can be mistreated in the ‘Mother of all Parliaments’.

Most MPs tend to have two homes, one close to Westminster and another in their constituency. This allows them to maintain the strong MP-constituency link which is seen as a great advantage of the UK’s ‘first-past-the-post’ system. MPs are entitled to claim expenses on their second home to aid them in financing legitimate things like utility bills, staff salaries, mortgages, furnishing, travel expenses, food costs among many others. The expenses system is designed to support MP’s upkeep of two homes however it has recently been discovered that MPs have been finding loopholes in the system and abusing it. Some of the more horrific examples have included MPs using the expenses system to pay for a duck island (£1645) and clearing moats around their homes (£2200).

Despite the fact that originally the Telegraph began its investigation by exposing government MPs such as Hazel Blears the former Communities Secretary (who gained a huge profit of £13,000 on the sale of two properties) they have now established that it is not simply the government who are abusing the system but MPs from all parties seem to have been using their second home allowance to benefit themselves in some ways. Liberal Democrat MP Chris Huhne, despite being a millionaire is supposed to have claimed for things as trivial as Hob Nobs for his office and Labour MP Derek Wyatt is reported to have charged the taxpayer 75p for a scotch egg. What is possibly most shocking though is the fact that a group of five Sinn Fein MPs have amassed expenses of £500,000 over the course of 5 years despite the fact that they refuse to sit in Parliament.

All MPs had to sign a declaration with every claim to the effect that ‘I confirm that I incurred these costs wholly, exclusively and necessarily to enable me to stay overnight away from my only main home for the purposes of performing my duties as a Member of Parliament’. And so, although it may appear that MPs have done something illegal by claiming for things which don’t seem to fulfil the criteria set out by this declaration (one would hope at least that the job of an MP is not dependant on the consumption of Hob Nobs), they all maintain that they have acted within the rules and the fact that their claims went through the fees office is a testimony to their claims’ legality. However, Parliament has functioned for hundreds of years based on the fact that MPs are ‘honourable members’ and so the fees office is unlikely to have challenged MPs on their expenses.

Party leaders have taken a certain amount of action: releasing MPs from the party whip and calling for others to resign. David Cameron came out of the scandal in an excellent light being the first leader to have taken serious action to ‘discipline’ his MPs. Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader went on to call for MPs to delay their summer recess until the scandal had been managed and a suitable alternative to the expenses system had been established. All parties however are simply waiting for the independent report headed by Sir Christopher Kelly to discover the fate of the expenses system.
And so we look to the future and the effect that this scandal has had on Parliament’s reputation as a whole. As we have seen from the recent euro-election turnout the electorate seems to be even more disillusioned from main stream politics and the idea that all MPs are ‘crooks’ has never been more evident. The feelings of anger and upset were reflected in the excellent results of fringe parties such as UKIP and the BNP. This leads to question what exactly is in store for the future of the ‘Mother of all Parliaments’…

By Olivia Reeve-Tucker, Emma Wright and Claudia Blunt

Three groups of Lower Sixth Politics students have written articles on recent parliamentary difficulties. Their finished articles can be viewed on this blog from the home page:

- THE EXPENSES SCANDAL
Is the Mother of all Parliaments still full of ‘honourable’ members?

- Michael Martin’s resignation as Speaker of the House of Commons

- A rallying cry for Reform?

David Miliband: Alan Johnson is ‘leading candidate’ to succeed Gordon Brown
David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, has described Alan Johnson, the Home Secretary, as the “leading candidate” to succeed Gordon Brown.

The admission came in a radio interview in which he attempted to shore up support for the Prime Minister but conceded that the odds are “stacked against” Labour winning the next general election.

He was speaking ahead of the first Cabinet meeting since the wave of ministerial resignations which threatened to topple Mr Brown and the disastrous local and European election results for Labour which saw the party pushed into third place and two BNP candidates elected.

Mr Miliband, who has himself been seen as a leading candidate for the succession in the past, conceded that he was aware of James Purnell’s plan to resign as Work and Pensions Secretary last Thursday – a move which dramatically escalated the crisis in Mr Brown’s leadership - before it happened.

He refused to be drawn on whether he had “flirted” with the idea of resigning himself while insisting that he “always believed” that he should stay in the Cabinet.

Meanwhile, speaking publicly for the first time since his resignation, Mr Purnell said that he had no regrets about his decision to call for Mr Brown to stand aside,

“I said what I said, I stand by it,” he said.

“Of course I can be happy if I turn out to be proven wrong and Gordon Brown leads the Labour Party to victory at the next election.”

Although his resignation failed to trigger a change in the leadership, Mr Purnell said that he had “complete respect” for those, like Mr Miliband, who decided to stay in the Cabinet.

A plot to oust Mr Brown ended in failure on Monday night amid claims that the Prime Minister’s allies used scare tactics on MPs to quell a possible backbench rebellion.

Despite Labour’s worst showing in an election for almost 100 years, Mr Brown was able to face down his critics at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) – with the rebels having failed to get the 50 signatories they wanted for a letter calling on him to quit.

Mr Miliband told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that the parliamentary party had now reached a “settled view” and would now be pulling together behind Mr Brown.

He insisted: “The Labour Party does not want a new leader, there is no vacancy there is no challenger.

“The leading candidate Alan Johnson has said that he is backing the Prime Minister to the hilt.”

Asked why he singled out Mr Johnson as the leading candidate he remarked: “Because he is.”

It came after a poll suggested that the Home Secretary could deny the Conservatives an overall majority at the next general election if he replaced Mr Brown as Labour leader.

Mr Miliband also confirmed that when news of Mr Purnell’s resignation emerged he had spoken to Lord Mandelson and was able to reassure him “on the spot” that he would not be resigning.

Lord Mandelson has been credited with quelling a possible Cabinet rebellion on Mr Brown’s behalf in the wake of Mr Purnell’s unexpected departure.

“The rumours started circulating late on Thursday,” Mr Miliband disclosed.

“James, in the end, felt that he had a responsibility to resign, I felt that I had a responsibility to work inside the Government for its renewal.”

Asked whether he had ever flirted with the idea of resigning, he said: “Flirtation is dangerous for married men I’m not going to get into that.

“I think that the important thing is that we were clear, I was clear, that the right thing to do was to make sure that all of my energies were dedicated to ensuring that there is a progressive, clear, strong Labour message and labour project at the next general election.”

But he conceded that Labour’s chances in the vote, which must take place by next summer, are poor.

“The odds are stacked against you when you are trying to win a fourth term,” he remarked.

In an attempt to placate the rebels, Mr Brown addressed Monday’s meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on a humble note, telling his critics: “I have my strengths and I have my weaknesses.

“There are some things I do well, some not so well. I have learned that you have to keep learning. You solve the problem not by walking away.”

Ben Bradshaw, the new Culture Secretary, said: “I think he has acknowledged that the style of leadership needs to change.

“I think he has acknowledged that the way that Number 10 has been operating has not been in the interests either of him or of the Labour Government, that he needs to behave in a more collegiate way.

“Those are things I think that people will welcome.”

Harriet Harman: Labour suffered a “very dismal result”

Labour has suffered its worst post-war election result as it was beaten into third place by UKIP and saw the BNP gain its first seats at Brussels.

Labour’s share of the vote at the European elections was just 15.3% - worse than party bosses had feared.

The Tories won with 28.6%, beating Labour in Wales but failing to increase their total share significantly.

The results have sent shockwaves through UK politics and led to renewed calls for Gordon Brown to quit as PM.

The BNP gained a seat in Yorkshire and Humberside and in the north west of England, where party leader Nick Griffin was elected - the first time the anti-immigration party has won seats at national elections.

Their result was condemned across the political spectrum, with both the Tories and Labour calling it a “sad day” for British politics.

Health Secretary Andy Burnham said: “The BNP is like the ultimate protest vote. It is how to deliver the establishment a two-fingered salute. I think largely it is a comment on Westminster politics.”

But in his victory speech, Mr Griffin said he was “absolutely delighted,” adding “it will be a huge change in British politics”.

He said “The most demonised and lied about party in British politics has made a massive breakthrough. The public have had their say in a democratic election and we should respect that.”

With results in Northern Ireland still to come, it is clear that Labour suffered one of its most abject results of all time.

Its deputy leader Harriet Harman conceded there had been a “big fall” in the Labour vote and it appeared Labour had been hit “much harder” by anger about MPs’ expenses.

“It was a dismal result,” she said.

“We have to understand the concerns that people are expressing and address them.”

“What we won’t be doing is wringing our hands, being disunited,” she said.

Conservative leader David Cameron said he was “delighted” with the results: “The Conservative party were the clear winners in these elections.

“We topped the poll, we increased our share of the vote, increased our number of MEPs, we won in almost every part of the country and had some staggering results like topping the poll in Wales.”

He said taken with last week’s local election results it showed “an enormous gap opening up between Labour and Conservative” with the Tories “almost getting twice as many votes as Labour last night”.

Other UK-wide Westminster parties effectively trod water on their 2004 European results, with the Lib Dems coming fourth and the Tories increasing their share by just over 1%.

This left the smaller parties to benefit - possibly from public anger over the MP expenses scandal.

UKIP, which campaigns for Britain’s withdrawal from the EU, gained 17.4% of the vote and increased its number of MEPs to 13 - beating Labour into third place.

Leader Nigel Farage said his party’s performance was a “hell of an achievement” which sent a clear signal to Gordon Brown.

“He has been beaten by a party that he mocked and derided as being on the fringes - so if we have beaten him, he has got to go,” Mr Farage said.

In two English regions, the South-East and South-West, the Green Party beat Labour into fifth place.

Nationally, the Greens increased their share of the vote to 8.7% but leader Caroline Lucas blamed the electoral system for her party’s failure to gain more than its current two MEPs.

“In the South East we have increased our vote by 50% and we are disappointed it has not translated into a second seat,” Ms Lucas said.

William Hague says the results show “people clearly want change”
The Lib Dems saw their share of the vote shrink slightly on 2004, but leader Nick Clegg told the BBC that taken with last week’s local election results, his party had a strong platform to make gains against Labour at a general election.

“On the European vote we held our own, we actually added an MEP - would I have liked to have done even better, yes of course but I think given the very volatile nature of the elections it was a solid result.”

He said Labour’s 12-year dominance of British politics was over and the party “finished”.

In Scotland, SNP leader Alex Salmond hailed a “historic” victory after the Nationalists hammered Labour.

Across Scotland the SNP secured 29% of the vote to Labour’s 21%, comfortably achieving the target the SNP leader had set his party at the start of the campaign.

Welsh Labour also suffered humiliation in the European elections, with the Conservatives topping the poll.

It is the first time since 1918 Labour has failed to come first in a Welsh election, as its vote dropped by 12%.

Labour, Conservatives and Plaid Cymru won a seat each, as did UKIP, which will send its first Welsh MEP to Brussels.

The turnout, with Northern Ireland yet to declare, is around a third of the vote, down 4% from 2004, but that is largely down to the fact that some areas had all-postal ballots last time.

The results are likely to pile further pressure on Gordon Brown, who faces a crunch meeting of Labour MPs on Monday, which may decide his future.

ROUND-UP OF OPINION ON LABOUR’S FUTURE
After disappointing results for Labour in the European Elections, columnists and commentators speculate on what this will mean for Gordon Brown and the Labour party.

Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan calls for Gordon Brown to call an Election in the Telegraph blog:

If Labour MPs put their terror of the electorate above any considerations of patriotism or democracy, they will do irreparable damage, not just to their party’s long-term prospects, but to representative democracy. This is your last chance, comrades.

Labour MP Sally Keeble used the Guardian’s Comment is Free column to explain why she is withdrawing support for Gordon Brown:

They look to the government for high quality public services, and a sense of purpose and direction for the country. The prime minister has to articulate that and, sadly, it hasn’t happened. Not that there is an alternative on offer from the other main parties.

The Times leader article urges the Labour Party to act quickly:

It needs to be said with great clarity: these results are terminally disastrous for the Labour Party. It is still an open question, however, whether the Labour Party wishes to draw any conclusions from this electoral rout about the future of its leader…
The next few days could set the course of Labour politics for a generation. If the party decides to stick by Mr Brown it is likely he will lead them to a large defeat. The first years of opposition could be wasted in a war to assign blame…
But the moment is upon them. The Cabinet risks being written off as a collection of cynics and cowards. It is almost too late.

Boris Johnson says in the Telegraph that the reason Labour backbenchers aren’t revolting against Gordon Brown shows they are more bothered about their own finances than the country:

Now is the moment for all the guilty men and women who claimed for plasma TVs and bath plugs and Peperamis to show that they are willing to put the interests of the country first, jettison Gordon, and have an election. To persist with Gordon is an admission that the cause is lost, and that the best bet is for the maximum number of Labour MPs to hang on to their seats and their dosh for as long as possible

The Guardian, which historically supports Labour, continues to ask for a general election to be called:

The public mood is clearly for a general election, not because there is great enthusiasm for the opposition (the European results and strength of minor parties shows there is not) but because people think this parliament has no legitimacy.

The Guardian’s Economics Editor Larry Elliott suggests that if Gordon Brown stays on, he’ll be able to cash in on the recovery of the economy:

Labour reached its political nadir this weekend. If, as now seems probable, the worst of the downturn occurred between the ¬collapse of Lehman Brothers in September and the G20 meeting in London in early April, the government at least has a political narrative for voters in the run-up to the election: thanks to our efforts, things are getting better.

The Sun’s Political editor George Pascoe-Watson says there’s only one way for Brown to get his authority:

Tonight party backbenchers and Peers will decide if it is time to kill off the battered Premier.
The PM is preparing to buy them off by promising an Iraq War probe and will shelve plans to sell off the Royal Mail within days… The only real way for Mr Brown to reassert his authority is to hold a general election and win it.

The Daily Mail’s Melanie Phillips says that Lord Mandelson is the real person running the Cabinet, but he won’t be able to save the government:

For all his efforts, Mandelson may not save Brown either. Lord Falconer added to the pressure yesterday by calling for a debate over the leadership; tonight, the Parliamentary party might deliver the coup de grace.
But a new leader won’t save them - and neither will a propped-up Gordon Brown. It’s the Labour Government that is the problem; and it’s Labour, whether Lord Mandelson and the rest of them realise it or not, whose time is now up.

Peter Riddell in the Times thinks the European election results give Labour MPs a dilemma:

Labour MPs will return to Westminster today in a very gloomy mood. Their choice is whether to challenge Mr Brown now or to acquiesce, however reluctantly, in the reshuffle and leadership counter-attack. The odds are that the plotters will get nowhere this week and Mr Brown will survive in the short-term. But that will not end the complaints or doubts about his leadership. The European results underline just how unpopular Labour is.

At this crucial and exciting time in domestic politics, the results of the Euro 2009 elections have sent some shockwaves through the UK political system:

- The BNP have won their first seats in a national election. Nick Griffin is now an MEP.
- Labour have slumped to their lowest ever result in a national election since the party was officially formed in the early 1900s. They achieved just 15% of the vote.
- The Conservatives have not increased their share of the vote significantly since the last Euro elections in 2004 - polling 29%. However, they have won Wales, which is a major achievement. Labour have always been strong in Wales. No other party has had a significant impact in Wales since David Lloyd-George’s Liberal Party in the early 1900s.
- The Lib Dems have not done very well and have come 4th nationally after Labour and UKIP.
- UKIP have done well in some parts of the UK, in some cases, beating Labour into 3rd place. Nationally, they have come second, behind the Tories.
- The Greens have increased their number of UK MEPs to 2 (from 1) and across the EU, have become a stronger political grouping.
- Despite the recession, centre-left parties across the EU have not done very well. Centre-right parties have maintained their dominance, indicating that there has not been a serious backlash against free market economies.
- There is increased pressure on Gordon Brown to step down, following Labour’s dismal performance. The results were even worse than the most pessimistic forecasts. A meeting of the parliamentary Labour party tonight in parliament may produce some movement towards a lesdership challenge.
- The turnout across the EU hit an historic low of 43%. Turnout out in the UK was 35% - probably artificially boosted by the local elections, which were held on the same day. This is not significantly lower than it has been in the past.

For further analysis and full results, please look at the BBC news website

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears has quit the cabinet, increasing pressure on UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Her departure is the second top-level resignation on the eve of the European and English local elections.

It led to stormy Commons scenes as Mr Brown denied his government was in “meltdown” and rejected calls for an immediate general election.

Health Secretary Alan Johnson has been forced to deny he is ready to take over amid reports of a backbench plot.

Mr Johnson told the BBC: “He is doing the job and there is absolutely no one who could do that job better.”

He said Mr Brown’s performance at prime minister’s questions had shown he had the “courage and tenacity” to lead the country “under circumstances made difficult for him”.

Other cabinet ministers, including Hilary Benn, Andy Burnham and Lord Mandelson, have also rallied round the prime minister and attempted to calm speculation he will be forced to quit.

Meanwhile the BBC has seen a proposed letter to Gordon Brown from one Labour MP calling on the PM to step down.

It says Mr Brown has made “an enormous contribution” but adds: “We believe that in the current political situation you can best serve the Labour Party and the country by stepping down as party leader and prime minister”.

It has not yet been widely circulated but the BBC understands Mr Brown’s critics intend to send out some kind of “round robin” letter or e-mail to MPs, possibly on Friday, to test whether there is an appetite for a challenge to Mr Brown.

But Business Secretary Lord Mandelson urged Labour MPs: “British politics is in a bad old state, nobody is happy and it’s affecting all the parties.

“Don’t please, through your actions, make it any worse for the Labour Party than for the other parties who have all got to come to grips with this crisis affecting British politics.”

Seventy Labour MPs would have to nominate a challenger to Gordon Brown to force a leadership contest.

Attempts to gain enough support for someone to stand against Mr Brown for the Labour leadership have failed twice before - when he succeeded Tony Blair in 2007 and last summer.

It comes amid continued speculation about Mr Brown’s planned reshuffle.

The BBC understands Mr Brown met John Reid on Tuesday, but the former home secretary is thought to have turned down the offer of a return to government, although No 10 sources say they talked mainly about football.

And a friend of Chancellor Alistair Darling has told the BBC that he would not accept any other job.

Downing Street has insisted a reshuffle is not under way and a source suggested there would be no announcements over the next 24 hours.

Speaking earlier at Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Brown said recent weeks had put “enormous pressure” on MPs of all parties and their families because of the string of revelations about their expenses.

He accused Tory leader David Cameron of seeking party political advantage from the situation.

But Mr Cameron said the prime minister was “in denial” and the communities secretary resigning on the eve of local government elections was a “direct challenge to his authority”.

He said Mr Brown’s team was now “deserting him”, the government was “collapsing” and he urged the prime minister to “get down to the Palace, ask for a dissolution, call an election”.

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said: “It’s a tragedy that exactly at the time when people need help, need action, the country doesn’t have a government, it has a void. Labour is finished.”

Media pressure

Ms Blears has been under fire over her expenses claims despite repaying £13,000, following allegations she avoided paying capital gains tax on a property sale. She was tipped for the axe in the forthcoming reshuffle.

The Salford MP denied doing anything wrong but Mr Brown described her claims as “totally unacceptable”.

She is said to believe she was being made a scapegoat by Mr Brown over the expenses issue and is believed to have vented her anger at him at a meeting in Downing Street on Tuesday.

Allies of the prime minister have suggested she feared further revelations about her expenses but sources close to Ms Blears accused them of “a smear campaign”.

Lord Mandelson said she was planning to stand down after the elections but had decided to go early due to media pressure, adding that she would never do anything to damage the party.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, who also faced expenses criticism and went public on Tuesday with her decision to stand down, said she backed Mr Brown and denied Ms Blears was deliberately trying to undermine him.

In her resignation statement, Ms Blears said: “I’ve never sought high office for the sake of it, or for what I can gain, but for what I can achieve for the people I represent and serve.”

Downing Street said Mr Brown “respects and understands” Ms Blears’ decision to quit the cabinet and believes she had made “an outstanding contribution to public life”.

The Salford MP is a former Labour Party chairman and was one of the most prominent Blairites in Gordon Brown’s cabinet but she came last in the poll to be Labour deputy leader two years ago.

Last month she launched what was seen as a thinly-veiled attack on Mr Brown in a newspaper article, criticising the government’s “lamentable” failure to get its message across.

In an apparent jibe at the PM’s much-mocked appearance on You Tube, she said: “YouTube if you want to.”

Senior Labour backbencher Barry Sheerman told the BBC Mr Brown’s decision to announce plans to reform MPs expenses on YouTube - the day after he had been to a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party without mentioning his ideas - had provoked anger among Labour backbenchers.

“There was a deep feeling of resentment that we had been snubbed and I think the present problems stem all from that evening,” Mr Sheerman said.

Q&A: MP expenses row explained

Revelations in the Daily Telegraph about exactly what MPs have been claiming on expenses has prompted a public outcry and a pledge to reform the “gentlemen’s club” at Westminster:

WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
Most MPs say they have to live in two places - in their constituencies and in London where they attend Parliament. They are allowed to claim expenses to cover the cost of running a second home. Details of what has been claimed on second home expenses have never been revealed before the Daily Telegraph got hold of a leaked copy of all the claims. Many MPs have been accused of extravagance, of over-claiming and avoiding tax on home sales. MP-by-MP: Expenses claims

HOW MUCH CAN THEY CLAIM?
The “additional costs allowance” is worth up to £24,006 in 2008/9 for MPs representing seats outside central London. They used to be able to file claims for up to £250 without providing a receipt but that was reduced to £25 last year and is being cut to zero. It covers things like mortgage interest payments on second homes and utility bills - but officials also allowed claims for items of furniture, electrical goods like televisions, refurbishments and food. Those representing inner London seats were entitled to a much lower allowance, which until 2009 had been worth £2,916. What MPs can claim

SO, WHAT HAVE THEY BEEN CLAIMING FOR?
The most eye-catching claims include ones for clearing a moat, maintaining swimming pools, a £1,645 “duck island” and a claim to fit mock Tudor beams to the front of a house. One MP claimed for a house that was neither in London, nor her constituency. Two MPs continued to claim for mortgage interest payments, after the mortgages had been paid off - they blamed that on accounting errors. Claims for small items have also been ridiculed - including a trouser press, a bath plug and some Hob Nob biscuits. And there is some annoyance at large food bills - some charged even when Parliament was in recess.

DID THEY BREAK ANY RULES?
All MPs had to sign a declaration with every claim to the effect that “I confirm that I incurred these costs wholly, exclusively and necessarily to enable me to stay overnight away from my only or main home for the purpose of performing my duties as a Member of Parliament”.

SO THAT’S A YES?
You might think that would be the case but no, all MPs have said they acted within the rules and seem to be basing much of their defence on the fact that their claim was paid out by the fees office. It does seem that the rules were rather vague or lax. But it is also the case that the UK’s Parliament has worked for centuries on the basis of MPs being “honourable members” so in most cases the fees office was, perhaps not surprisingly, unlikely to challenge an MP if they had given their signed word that the claim was legitimate. ‘Lax’ MP expenses rules condemned

WHAT’S ALL THIS ABOUT FLIPPING?
MPs have to tell Commons fees staff which home is their “main home” and which home is their “second home” - on which they can claim expenses. The rule book states “the location of your main home will normally be a matter of fact”. But they have been allowed to change it. This means some have claimed for refurbishment or mortgage interest on one property, then changed the designation and proceeded to claim for costs on another one. Some have then changed it back again or on to a third property. In some instances the MP has sold a property shortly after claiming the costs of doing it up - they are allowed to keep any profit. Some MPs have said there were good reasons for changing the designation for example when they moved their families to London from the constituency.

DO MPs PAY CAPITAL GAINS TAX ON THESE PROPERTIES?
Some do, some have not. The tax is usually paid when someone sells a home that is not considered, by HM Revenue and Customs, to be their “principal residence”. It amounts to 18% of the profit. However several MPs have not paid the tax when they have sold properties they had designated their “second home” with the Commons authorities. This is not illegal and some have argued that the definition of a main residence by the Commons is different from that by HMRC. But critics say it is wrong to tell the Commons one thing and tax authorities another and benefit from taxpayer-funded expenses without paying back any tax in return. Gordon Brown has said it is “totally unacceptable” and it is being tightened up. Blears will pay tax on flat sale

HAVE THEY PUT A STOP TO ALL THIS?
The whole system is being reviewed by the independent committee on standards in public life, which is expected to recommend sweeping changes. But as that’s not due to report back for months, some interim measures have been agreed. “Flipping” the designation of second homes is banned in most cases for 2009/10, claims for furniture, cleaning, gardening etc have been stopped. Mortgage interest and rent payments have been capped at £1,250 a month. Expenses: Options for reform

HOW HAS ALL THIS INFORMATION COME OUT?
The Daily Telegraph is remaining tight-lipped about its source, although it has not denied paying for the information. It says it has acted in the public interest. All the receipts were being prepared for publication anyway in July. The Commons authorities had long resisted attempts to reveal the details but were ordered to publish by the High Court, under the Freedom of Information Act. But the Telegraph says many of the key details - such as the “flipping” of second homes - would have remained hidden as addresses would have been blanked out before publication. Police were asked to investigate the leak but chose not to - having concluded that a public interest defence would be a “significant hurdle” to any successful prosecution.

WHAT DO THE MPs SAY?
They say they were acting within the rules and in some cases were encouraged to spend up to the maximum allowed - about £20,000 a year - by the Commons fees office. But they say the system is in urgent need of reform.

ANY LABOUR RESIGNATIONS?
Resignations have mounted as the crisis has gone on and reached the top level of government, piling the pressure on Gordon Brown. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Communities Secretary Hazel Blears have said they will leave the government. Ms Smith was the first cabinet minister to have her expenses questioned by the media while Hazel Blears had to repay £13,000 in capital gains tax on the sale of two properties. Justice minister Shahid Malik has stepped down pending an inquiry by into whether his failure to declare a preferential rent deal on his constituency home broke the ministerial code. Former Agriculture Minister Elliot Morley and backbencher David Chaytor were both suspended by the Parliamentary Labour Party after reportedly claiming for mortgage interest months after their mortgages had been paid off. Both have apologised and said they will not be contesting the next election. Margaret Moran is to stand down as MP for Luton South after being criticised for claiming £22,500 for treating dry rot at her second home. Ben Chapman will also stand down as an MP at the next election after his own mortgage interest payments came under question. And Ian Gibson has been barred from standing at the next election by his party after claims his daughter lived in his second home and later bought it at a knock-down rate. Former Labour Party chairman Ian McCartney has said he will be standing down due to poor health. Other Labour MPs standing down, for personal reasons, are backbencher John Smith , former health secretary Patricia Hewitt and current children’s minister Beverley Hughes .

WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER PARTIES?
Andrew MacKay, a Parliamentary aide to Conservative leader David Cameron, quit his post after the party ruled his second home claims were “unacceptable” and later said he would step down at the next election. Mr MacKay and his wife Julie Kirkbride, who is also a Tory MP, had been claiming second home allowances on two properties. Ms Kirkbride is also standing down after questions were raised about her brother living rent-free in her second home and a £50,000 extension to the property. Douglas Hogg has said he will not seek re-election - he repaid the £2,200 of clearing his moat, which was submitted with his claims. Sir Peter Viggers, whose most eye-catching claim was for a £1,645 “duck island” is also to retire “at the direct request of David Cameron”. Totnes MP Anthony Steen, said to have claimed more than £87,000 over four years for his country home, is also standing down at the next election. Husband and wife Nicholas and Ann Winterton , rebuked in 2008 by Parliament’s Standards Commissioner over their expenses, have also said they will stand down at the next election. And Christopher Fraser , who claimed £1,800 for trees and fences at his second home, is also standing down - citing his wife’s ill health.

HAVE ANY MPs PAID THE MONEY BACK?
Yes. MPs from all parties are falling over themselves to write cheques, although none have admitted breaking the rules. Who’s repaying expenses?

WHY IS THE SPEAKER QUITTING?
Commons Speaker Michael Martin has been seen by many as the driving force behind efforts to stop details of expenses claims coming out - such as by taking the Freedom of Information case to the High Court. His supporters say that is not fair and his committee had proposed reforms in 2008 - which were promptly voted down by MPs. But his angry outburst at MPs who had criticised him over his handling of the issue in the Commons prompted calls for him to go - and his failure to announce a date for him to step down a week later prompted open challenges. He said he would relinquish the role to maintain “unity” in the House.

DO MPs REALISE HOW BAD IT LOOKS?
Yes. There is genuine concern among MPs that Parliament has never been held in lower regard by members of the public. Even MPs who have done nothing wrong are reported to be considering quitting as they are considered “crooks” by the public. Some fear Parliament may take years to recover from the furore while others warn that voters may take out their anger with the main parties by backing fringe and extremist parties at local and European elections on Thursday.

WHAT ARE THE PARTIES DOING INDIVIDUALLY?
Gordon Brown says any Labour MP who “defied” the rules will not be able to stand again. The party’s ruling NEC has set up a panel to quiz MPs whose claims have been scrutinised. Tory leader David Cameron has set up his own scrutiny panel and warned that any Tory MP refusing to return money excessively claimed could be sacked. The Lib Dems say no MP should be able to make a profit on the sale of a home which was subsidised by the taxpayer.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Gordon Brown has called for an end to the “gentlemen’s club” of Parliament and wants an independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to oversee MPs’ pay and expenses. MPs are braced for further revelations in the Telegraph and when the details are officially published. At the same time, some are urging the police to investigate the claims made by some MPs on the grounds of possible fraud. The Daily Mail has launched a campaign for private prosecutions to be brought against some MPs. Individually, many MPs have been holding meetings in their constituencies to explain their claims.

HAVE ALL MPs BEEN ACCUSED OF ABUSING THE ALLOWANCE?
Not at all. Many take exception to suggestions they padded out their salaries with the allowance. Some MPs who were entitled to claim the allowance because they had constituencies outside inner London, chose not to. Others made modest claims. Which MPs didn’t claim expenses?

Voters across the UK are heading to the polls to cast their votes in the European Parliament elections.

The European poll will be the last UK-wide electoral test ahead of a general election expected within a year.

In England 27 county councils and seven unitary councils are holding elections and there are three mayoral votes.

Polling stations are open between 0700 and 2200 BST, with the European results declared on Sunday evening. Council results are set to be known on Friday.

The European results are delayed because voting is carried out in 27 EU countries over four days.

The UK and the Netherlands go to the polls on Thursday, followed by Ireland on Friday. Latvia, Cyprus, Malta and Slovakia on Saturday and Italy and the Czech Republic over the weekend.

The other 18 EU countries will vote on Sunday, with the first results expected from 2100 BST.

European voters will be electing 736 MEPs - including 72 from the UK.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will have six, four and three MEPs respectively, while the remaining 59 will represent nine different regions across England.

At the last European elections in 2004, turnout in the UK was 38% - across Europe the average was 45.5%.

There have been predictions turnout this time it could be as low as 28%, while others believe it could be up to 50%.

Thursday’s weather is forecast to be rather cloudy. Wales, the Midlands and southern England should stay dry, although a few light showers are likely further north.