Alan Duncan is one of the brightest and best in the Shadow Cabinet and has played a blinder today ensuring that even backbench Tory MPs must vote to reveal their expenses.
As a PPC in a marginal, I cannot emphasize enough how much the public care about the grubby little scandal of feather-bedded expenses.
It is beyond disgraceful that as we stare down the barrel of a banking crisis Brown is whipping his MPs to cover this up - and locally I will challenge my opponent, Phil Hope MP, to reveal his detailed expenses. I am already pledged to account for mine if elected.
But we must go further. We must recognise public anger on the issue and state that a Conservative MP who refuses to reveal their expenses, defying the whip, will not be permitted to stand for the party at the next election - no matter how long their service. There are some great candidates out there who will not only work hard but account for every penny of public money. Taxpayers are entitled to expense receipts - they are MPs' employers.
I pointed out to Corby & East Northants voters last time that the vast majority who voted to keep the John Lewis list were Labour MPs. With this whipped vote, they must all be Labour MPs. The Conservatives must prove to the public that politicians are NOT "all alike". This is a matter of integrity.
