Did You Maclean Your Disclosures Today?

The lower chamber of that paragon of representative democracy, the Mother of Parliaments, has voted through a private bill by the former Conservative chief whip, David Maclean, to protect the sacred bond of confidentiality between MPs and their constituents, which apparently is in danger of horrendous violation by the forces of something or other. To concerns that the bill would prevent "embarrassing disclosures about MPs' expenses and allowances", Maclean responded that the Speaker had made it "absolutely clear" that such information could still be published; so MPs will still be permitted to be as embarrassed as they like provided the Speaker thinks it's all right. Nevertheless, David Winnick, a Labour opponent of the bill, warned that "we are in danger of bringing ourselves into disrepute" and that "The House of Commons should set an example to the country of honesty and integrity, not find some squalid little way in order to get out of the law." For a man who has been in politics since 1959, and has held his present seat of Walsall North since 1979, Winnick has some very strange ideas about the present reputation of the House of Commons, not to mention its purpose.

Maclean's bill "now passes to the Lords for consideration, where it is likely to face a further mauling", unless the Lords can be appropriately modernised for upgraded honesty and integrity in accordance with the purposes of the House of Commons.