Priceless!

Money and politics is once again a toxic mix. One which many commentators agree that some in the media are only too happy to stir.

Recently it was reported that Tory MEP Den Dover, once an MP for neighbouring Chorley, was sacked as chief whip of the Tories in the European Parliament amid allegations of inappropriate use of expenses. He is alleged to have paid large amounts of public money to a company comprised of his wife and daughter for secretarial work. The company also donated money to the Conservative Party. There have also been questions raised about the purchase of cars and building work to one of his homes.

Another MEP, Sir Robert Atkins, former Tory MP for South Ribble, has also been criticised for using public money for a trip to America to visit Republican politicians but during which he also attended his son's wedding.

Alan Duncan exposed

While David Cameron is keen to appear to be supporting more transparency his Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, Alan Duncan (pictured left) was busy trying to dodge being asked questions about reports of donations to him from an oil tycoon.

Here is journalist Peter Oborne's account of what he witnessed prior to a recent Andrew Marr show (June 22) on which he and Duncan were guests:

"Both Alan Duncan and I were guests last Sunday on BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show.

Before the programme went on air, Duncan approached Marr and attempted to make sure he didn't ask him any questions concerning a story in one of that day's newspapers relating to his oil interests.

'There's been an exchange of legal letters you know, better not go there,' was the thrust of Duncan's remarks.

To his credit, Marr insisted on putting the matter to Duncan in the studio, even though the answers he received were unsatisfactory."

It was painful to watch him squirm as he realised he'd been sprung live on TV. It was indeed priceless!

Whether the allegations around the donations are true or not he was clearly less than transparent not only in his unwillingness to publicly account for himself but also, according to Oborne, in actively seeking not to be called to account yet Cameron seems not to have noticed.

Labour introduced transparency rules

In any walk of life there will be a few bad apples who get the rest a bad name. Most politicians at all levels of government are honest and hard-working. Some of the cases which appear in the news will simply be as a result of administrative errors yet the media swirl around them make it impossible for them to continue.

It was the Labour Party in government who introduced the rules around declaring donations in a bid to bring more transparency into politics. They also introduced the Freedom of Information Act. Never before has the interested citizen had such access to so much information.

We need to go further

As many MPs across all parties predicted whichever way they had voted on their pay and expenses the media coverage would have been universally negative which it was.

There were some more measured reporters who suggested that if you actually look at the points put forward in the debate many were quite reasonable.

For example, they rejected a system of external auditors because of the high cost of fees -£1000+ per day- which the taxpayer would be paying, in favour of an internal audit system which will see all receipts for claims of £25 or over published from October offering more transparency.

Media reports also give the impression that MPs are busy leafing through a John Lewis catalogue picking out new furniture. The so-called 'John Lewis List' was unknown to MPs before it was published by a national newspaper earlier this year. The list is something which parliament's financial administrators use behind the scenes as a yardstick for assessing MPs claims for help with the additional costs of setting up a second home.

Peter Kilfoyle remembers the days when poorer MPs used to sleep on the floors of parliamentary offices and argues that having the Additional Costs Allowance means that people from all backgrounds are not excluded by the sheer expense of having to run two homes -one in London as well as their home in the constituency.

Kerry McCarthy also gives an account of what her vote meant.

Locally, Conservative Councillor Mike France complained that he is out of pocket as a councillor.

Less focus in the media has been given to the fact that MPs rejected a proposal to raise their salaries by up to 2.3% this year and 4.7% next year. Instead they voted for a below inflation 2.25% pay rise this year and did not take up the recommendation of a "catch-up" payment of £650 a year for the next three years.

However, Gordon Brown has said that although "We voted to keep MPs' pay down... now we must look at the issue of expenses and accountability again.'

Democracy valued

While people around the world pay with their lives in the struggle for democracy, including our soldiers serving abroad, we are able to vote freely. It is important that we have confidence in our democratic process.

The more citizens directly engage in the political process the more they will be able to see first hand how power is exercised on their behalf.

There's plenty to see at www.parliament.uk, www.lancashire.gov.uk and www.southribble.gov.uk

A free media can also act as a check on government and corporate power but as the filter through which the nation gets its news it also wields power and it has its role to play in improving the health of our democracy by reporting that is balanced and proportionate.