Prospective MPs call time on Mr & Mrs Expenses and Speaker Martin

Amid further revelations about the excessive expense claims of Labour MPs, Ann & Alan Keen, local Liberal Democrat Prospective MPs, Cllrs Andrew Dakers and Munira Wilson added their name to an open letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons, calling for urgent reform or his resignation. As the national scandal of MPs' expenses continues, The Daily Telegraph exposed Hounslow MPs "Mr & Mrs Expenses" - Alan & Ann Keen - once again for not only claiming close to the maximum allowance for their shared apartment in central London, but also for both allegedly reclaiming full council tax in some months. The newspaper reported they recently remortgaged their apartment for more than 100% and are taxpayers are footing the bill for the interest.

Prospective Lib Dem MPs Cllrs Andrew Dakers and Munira Wilson who will be challenging Ann and Alan Keen at the next election have joined with 56 of their colleagues in writing an open letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons, calling for immediate reform of the expenses system or for Speaker Martin to stand down.

Cllr Dakers said, "The ongoing shameful tale of Mr & Mrs Expenses' claims, courtesy of the taxpayer, highlights that it is high time the MPs' expenses system is reformed and made more transparent. The position of Michael Martin, who was dragged to the Speaker's seat by Ann Keen on his election, is now untenable."

Cllr Dakers added, "In Hounslow, the Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidates committed back in 2004 that we would not claim the Additional Costs Allowance, if elected to Parliament. We stand by that commitment and hope that the ACA will be abolished by the next election."

Munira Wilson said, "Tens of thousands of people commute in from outer London and beyond everyday to work long hours in central London. They do not need a second home. Alan & Ann Keen should follow the example of their constituents and London's Liberal Democrat MPs, and use public transport rather than charge the taxpayer for their luxury riverside pad. Their actions, and those of all the other MPs that have been implicated in the recent appalling expenses revelations, totally undermine our democracy and the efforts of those people who are genuinely committed to working for the public good without the need to financially overburden the taxpayer."

**Open to letter to Speaker Martin, signed by 56 Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidates**

Dear Mr Speaker

As Parliament continues to be dragged down by the allowance system, and its rules, the role of those in public service across the country is being undermined.

We are Liberal Democrat candidates seeking to be elected to Parliament and yet we find ourselves disappointed, and frustrated, at the way in which this matter is being handled.

Every day our residents are telling us loudly that this must stop and this must stop now.

Three things stand out:

• The resistance to the releasing of these documents and the attempt to exclude Parliament from the Freedom of Information requirements

• The way in which Norman Baker and Kate Hoey were treated when they sought to raise legitimate concerns

• The fact that, through you, Parliament could now release the information into the public domain and cut short this parade of drip-fed news and empower MPs and citizens through a new transparent relationship.

It is vital that Parliament must become transparent and accountable now. We call on you, as Speaker of the House, to do everything within your power to force the full publication of all expenses immediately. We also call on you to accept the

independent review of MPs expenses and salaries chaired by Sir Christopher Kelly.

If you are unable to do this we then ask you to consider your position. Time is running out for politicians of all parties to repair the damage to our democracy.

Yours faithfully

56 Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidates

Andrew Dakers, Brentford and Isleworth

Munira Wilson, Feltham and Heston

Jo Shaw, Holborn and St Pancras

Ed Fordham, Hampstead and Kilburn

Bridget Fox, Islington South & Finsbury

Merlene Emerson, Hammersmith

Sam Webber, Bromley and Chislehurst

Alex Feakes, Lewisham and West Penge

Mark Blackburn, Westminster North

Mike Cox, Uxbridge and South Ruislip

Caroline Pidgeon, Vauxhall

Dave Raval, Hackney South and Shoreditch

Keith Angus, Hackney North and Stoke Newington

Sal Brinton, Watford

Andrew Simpson, Northampton North

Duncan Borrowman, Old Bexley and Sidcup

Steve Goddard, Oxford East

Adrian Collett, Aldershot

Adam Carew, East Hampshire

Gareth Epps, Reading East

Sally Morgan, Central Devon

Sue Doughty, Guildford

Rebecca Hunt. Chatham & Aylesford

Sarah Carr, Hereford and South Herefordshire

Guy Voizey Canterbury and Whitstable

Liz Leffman, Meon Valley

Sandy Walkington, St Albans

Richard Burt, West Worcestershire

Kevin Lang, Edinburgh North & Leith

Andrew Duffield,Hexham

David Kendall, Brentwood and Ongar

Ann Haigh, Epping Forest

Simon Wright, Norwich South

Liz Simpson, Tonbridge and Malling

Rabi Martins - Luton North

Greg Stone, Newcastle East

Theo Butt-Philip, Bridgwater and West Somerset

Dave Radcliffe, Birmingham Selly Oak

Richard Clein, Sefton Central

Andy Stamp, Gillingham & Rainham

Stephen Lloyd, Eastbourne & Willingdon

Denis Healy, Hull North

Robin Lawrence, Wolverhampton South West

Andrew Falconer, Brighton Pavilion

Dave McBride, Orpington

Nigel Quinton, Hitchin & Harpenden

Alan Beddow, Warwick and Leamington

David Goodall, Southampton Itchen

Ryk Downes, Leeds Central

Chris Took, Ashford

Peter Wilcock, Saffron Walden

Karen Hamilton, Birmingham Perry Barr

Qurban Hussain, Luton South

Stephen Robinson, Chelmsford

Mike Bell, Weston-super-Mare

Fred Mackintosh, Edinburgh South

Paul Zukowskyj, Welwyn Hatfield

ENDS