Whatever you do today, please, please, please respond to the final consultation on MPs' expenses.
When, on 4th November, Sir Christopher Kelly delivered a popular, coherent and firm manifesto on how to clean up Parliament, it was widely assumed that his decisive action meant that the expenses problem was going to be sorted out.
After all, they were a solid set of practical reforms built on a foundation of massive public demand and issued by an authoritative source. Kelly's proposals also had the unequivocal backing of all three main political parties.
They had, however, forgotten something. Back in the summer, when MPs lived in fear of being phoned by a Telegraph journalist, the Commons rushed through a new Act that they hoped might deflect some of the criticism by demonstrating a willingness to reform the system. In doing so, they created IPSA, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority - the quango which is now charged with designing and then running the new system of MPs' expenses.
By virtue of the Act that created it, IPSA is now legally bound to hold one last consultation which will produce the eventual system of MPs' expenses.
This is undoubtedly frustrating. After all, the Kelly inquiry was popular, attracted plenty of evidence submissions and produced a set of recommendations that would have done the job very well. Now, with IPSAs consultation there is a danger that the public will begin to feel that, EU-style, the establishment intends to keep asking the question until they get the answer MPs rather than the public prefer.
That may or may not be IPSA's intention. Many IPSA staff whom I have met seem to just want to get on with implementing Kelly's proposals. Sir Ian Kennedy, the IPSA Chairman (whom I haven't met), has been widely reported in the media over recent days to have sympathies that fall far short of the public's views, particularly on the employment of family members and the number of MPs who should be able to get free London accommodation.
What is certain that a determined and hard-bitten bunch of MPs are engaged in a coordinated campaign to use this final consultation to so drastically water down and fudge Kelly's proposals that they will be allowed to carry on with business as usual.
This is why it is crucial that the largest number of people possible respond to IPSA's consultation to insist that the reforms must be firm and clear. Kelly has demonstrated that a transparent, modern, and honest system is perfectly possible - and it is now down to all of us to insist that his proposals are adopted.
At the TPA blog we've published a question by question guide to the consultation, which may well be of use and interest to you all when making your own responses. You can find our guide to the consultation here.
