2/3/2007

Your Letters

MPs expenses are tiny compared with workload

Your report last week on MPs’ expenses is an attempt to catch a national story and apply it inappropriately to our area — but it fails, simply because the criticism is unfair.

I was surprised at just how low the expenses of our local MPs really are compared with the huge amount of work they do. These four people, Gerald, James, Michael and Andrew, are all hard-working representatives of our communities and are very much part of them.

A total of £20,000 over a year is equivalent to about £90 for each MP’s weekly operational costs. This is a remarkably small amount, and must represent excellent value for money. I would be appalled if they restricted their work for fear of negative and superficial comments in the press, so I would ask you to rethink your attitude and try to avoid the jealousy that permeates the tone of your article.

Every year the News tries to excite public indignation at the level of expenses, but nobody is interested because they know these essential costs are miniscule and your criticism petty. We need a positive slant on this story, showing what our MPs do for this money, not one that provokes negativity. MPs devote themselves to public service. They are part of a great British tradition and they are elected by us to protect our democratic rights.

Unless there is evidence of poor performance or extravagant behaviour to support your story, it is time the News produced a report worthy of a community broadsheet.

Edward Dawson
Village Way
Yateley

First printed in: Aldershot News and Mail