MPs' Expenses  & Constitutional Reform

Disgust at Westminster politicians embroiled in the MPs' expenses scandal is widespread, with the British political class more exposed now than at any time since Suez. The central danger they face is widespread hatred of all establishment politicians. The phrase 'a plague on all your houses' trips from a million lips.

That's different from 1997 when the Tories were the villains and young Tony Blair the saviour. Heads on pikes are demanded now and, on condition they're Westminster heads, nobody cares which party they're from.

Julian Lewis, a shadow defence minister, bought a trouser press on expenses

Hypocrisy & horse manure

How to harness this mood for the public good? First, establishment politicians can't be expected to reform themselves. The party machines which produced 'flipping' and claims for £8,000 plasma TVs haven't the moral weight. There's too much history, too many tarnished reputations, too much hypocrisy, denial and greed. So change must come from below. Which means independent candidates from a new political alliance.

David Heathcoat-Amory, Conservative MP for Wells, instructed his gardener to use hundreds of sacks of horse manure. The MP submitted the receipts to Parliament

Political disinfectant

Second, it's too late for independents to stand in the June 2009 EU elections and, besides, Westminster's the key. Politicians sent to Europe tend to disappear without trace.

Westminster's the central British political institution and the most rotten. New research suggests that first-past-the-post has corruption hard-wired into it's DNA. 

Reformers must be sent to the House of Commons and inhabit the place for four years. They must throw open windows, root around in cupboards, unearth skeletons, splash political disinfectant about, and report their findings to voters. Only then will a new constitutional settlement be possible.

Sir Gerald Kaufman, a former environment minister, submitted a claim for an £8,865 Bang & Olufsen Beovision 40in LCD television

Grown-up democracy

Voters must be asked, by referendum, to approve what the reformers propose, which could include the usual box of tricks - written constitution, bill of rights, elected upper house, proportional representation, transparent political finances, etc etc. In other words Britain would be dragged by the people themselves into the world of grown-up democratic politics.

Douglas Hogg, the former Conservative Cabinet Minister, sent a list to the fees office which included "about £2,000" for cleaning his moat

Local heroes & media dames

Third, the reformers must be organised or established party machines will roll over them. It's no good a sprinkling of well-meaning local heroes, media dames and saintly actresses turning up in SW1 in 2010 without a programme or a strategy to punch it through. They'd be slaughtered.

Alan Duncan, shadow leader of the House of Commons, claimed for repairs to his ride-on lawnmower

Much hilarity

Oliver Letwin, Chairman of the Policy Review and of the Conservative Research Department, claimed for repairs to a pipe under his tennis court