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Brown backs down in expenses row Brown backs down in expenses row
(40 minutes later)
The government has shelved plans to hold a vote on controversial proposals to restrict the amount of information published about MP expenses. The government has shelved plans to hold a vote on controversial proposals to restrict the amount of information published about MPs' expenses.
No 10 had insisted it would hold a vote on exempting expenses information from Freedom of Information laws and that Labour MPs would be forced to back it.No 10 had insisted it would hold a vote on exempting expenses information from Freedom of Information laws and that Labour MPs would be forced to back it.
But the government has now decided to abandon the vote after opposition parties said they would not support it.But the government has now decided to abandon the vote after opposition parties said they would not support it.
The High Court said last year receipts for MPs expenses should be published. The High Court said last year receipts for MPs' expenses should be published.
U-turn Long-running case
The High Court ordered the Commons to publish details, including all receipts, to back up claims made by 14 MPs under their second homes allowance.The High Court ordered the Commons to publish details, including all receipts, to back up claims made by 14 MPs under their second homes allowance.
The row followed a long-running Freedom of Information case in which campaigners sought to get details of MPs' expenses, which totalled £87.6m in 2006-7, published.
It had been expected that all MPs' expenses details would then be published but Commons leader Harriet Harman told MPs last week the government was bringing forward a plan to exempt MPs' expenses from the scope of the FOI Act.It had been expected that all MPs' expenses details would then be published but Commons leader Harriet Harman told MPs last week the government was bringing forward a plan to exempt MPs' expenses from the scope of the FOI Act.
I believe all-party support is important and we will continue to consult on that matter Gordon Brown I believe all-party support is important and we will continue to consult on that matter Gordon Brown class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7839281.stm">Q&A: What row is all about
No 10 had indicated that Labour MPs would be expected to support this policy in a vote on Thursday but the Conservative and Lib Dems said they would oppose the move. This would have seen expenses published under 26 headings but not the details of claims for individual items.
However, shortly after the end of Prime Minister's Questions, No 10 revealed that the vote would not take place. Downing Street had indicated that Labour MPs would be expected to support this policy in a vote on Thursday but the Conservative and Lib Dems said they would oppose the move.
Earlier, Mr Brown blamed the Conservatives for what he said was a breakdown of a consensus over the way forward. However, shortly after the end of prime minister's questions, the government revealed the vote on the FOI proposal would not take place.
"We thought we had agreement on the FOI Act as part of this wider package," he told MPs. BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said the move would be seen as a "screeching u-turn" by the government.
"Recently that support that we believed we had from the main opposition party was withdrawn. Ms Harman said the vote had been abandoned because of the "lack of cross party support" and confirmed she would hold further discussions on how to proceed.
But she defended the policy, saying it would "provide a legal underpinning for a package of changes which would achieve greater transparency in the publication of what MPs spend".
MPs will still vote on Thursday on separate proposals to tighten up the auditing of expenses and revisions to the expenses rule book.
'Agreement'
Earlier, Mr Brown blamed the Conservatives for what he said was a breakdown of a previous consensus over the way forward.
"We thought we had agreement on the FOI Act as part of this wider package," he told MPs. "Recently that support that we believed we had from the main opposition party was withdrawn.
"So on this particular matter, I believe all-party support is important and we will continue to consult on that matter.""So on this particular matter, I believe all-party support is important and we will continue to consult on that matter."
During PMQs, Tory MP Edward Garnier said it showed "hideous levels of insensitivity" to limit disclosure of MP's spending at a time of such economic gloom. The Conservatives denied that they had initially struck a deal with Labour not to oppose the changes, saying there was "no question" of the party ever backing the move.
The Lib Dems had described the proposal as "outrageous".The Lib Dems had described the proposal as "outrageous".
The row followed a long-running Freedom of Information case in which campaigners sought to get details of MPs' expenses, which totalled £87.6m in 2006-7, published. The party's education spokesman, David Laws, told the BBC that it would have been "monstrous for MPs to pass a law and then exempt themselves".
Campaigners said the proposal to limit disclosure would have made MPs the only public officials immune from public scrutiny.
An internet campaign by MySociety urging MPs to vote against the change attracted more than 6,000 signatures.
It is thought Commons authorities have already spent hundreds of thousands of pounds scanning and "redacting" receipts dating back to 2005 in anticipation of the changes.