gmb45
30th May, 2009, 08:57 AM
Nick Clegg has called for an end to the 'golden goodbye' allowance given to those MPs standing down at the next general election in the wake of the expenses scandal.
The Lib Dem leader said: "I can see no reason why an MP who is sacked or decides to stand down should be rewarded with a big, tax-free, lump sum payment.
"This money is intended to help people who are suddenly voted out of office, not those who decide to call it a day after being caught with their fingers in the till."
Mr Clegg will write to the Prime Minister and the standards watchdog Sir Christopher Kelly to demand that this "flaw in the current system" is fixed "at the earliest opportunity".
The Lib Dem leader's comments came after it emerged that "resettlement grants" for the 12 MPs planning to stand down at the next election will cost the taxpayer more than ?1m.
If the general election is not called until next spring, their salaries will cost more than ?600,000 combined.
On top of this generous resettlement grants will see MPs receive between ?32,000 and ?65,000 each on leaving office.
The resettlement grant, which is payable at the next general election, is calculated on a sliding scale according to an MP's age and their length of service in the Commons, with the first ?30,000 tax-free.
Tory Douglas Hogg, who quit after revelations about his moat-cleaning expenses, will receive just under ?60,000 in the "redundancy" payout if an election is called after February next year.
Conservative MPs Julie Kirkbride and Christopher Fraser - who claimed more than ?1,800 to buy 215 trees and fencing - will both receive ?32,000.
Ms Kirkbride's husband and fellow Tory MP Andrew MacKay is set to get around ?65,000.
Margaret Moran, who claimed for treating dry rot at a home 100 miles from her constituency, will receive a grant of ?54,000.
The MPs who have announced their intention to stand down at the next election following expenses revelations are Michael Martin, Sir Peter Viggers, Douglas Hogg, Anthony Steen, Ben Chapman, Ian McCartney, Andrew MacKay, Sir Nicholas and Ann Winterton, Margaret Moran, Julie Kirkbride and Christopher Fraser.
The Lib Dem leader said: "I can see no reason why an MP who is sacked or decides to stand down should be rewarded with a big, tax-free, lump sum payment.
"This money is intended to help people who are suddenly voted out of office, not those who decide to call it a day after being caught with their fingers in the till."
Mr Clegg will write to the Prime Minister and the standards watchdog Sir Christopher Kelly to demand that this "flaw in the current system" is fixed "at the earliest opportunity".
The Lib Dem leader's comments came after it emerged that "resettlement grants" for the 12 MPs planning to stand down at the next election will cost the taxpayer more than ?1m.
If the general election is not called until next spring, their salaries will cost more than ?600,000 combined.
On top of this generous resettlement grants will see MPs receive between ?32,000 and ?65,000 each on leaving office.
The resettlement grant, which is payable at the next general election, is calculated on a sliding scale according to an MP's age and their length of service in the Commons, with the first ?30,000 tax-free.
Tory Douglas Hogg, who quit after revelations about his moat-cleaning expenses, will receive just under ?60,000 in the "redundancy" payout if an election is called after February next year.
Conservative MPs Julie Kirkbride and Christopher Fraser - who claimed more than ?1,800 to buy 215 trees and fencing - will both receive ?32,000.
Ms Kirkbride's husband and fellow Tory MP Andrew MacKay is set to get around ?65,000.
Margaret Moran, who claimed for treating dry rot at a home 100 miles from her constituency, will receive a grant of ?54,000.
The MPs who have announced their intention to stand down at the next election following expenses revelations are Michael Martin, Sir Peter Viggers, Douglas Hogg, Anthony Steen, Ben Chapman, Ian McCartney, Andrew MacKay, Sir Nicholas and Ann Winterton, Margaret Moran, Julie Kirkbride and Christopher Fraser.