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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Brown backs down in expenses row | Brown backs down in expenses row |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown has shelved plans to hold a Commons vote on restricting the amount of information published about MPs' expenses. | |
| Downing Street had indicated Labour MPs would be required to support proposals exempting expenses information from Freedom of Information laws. | |
| But the vote has now been dropped after opposition parties refused to back it. | |
| The Conservatives accused ministers of a "u-turn" while the Lib Dems said it was a "humiliating climbdown". | |
| Long-running case | Long-running case |
| The row over expenses 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. | |
| Last year the High Court ordered the Commons authorities to publish details, including all receipts, to back up claims made by 14 MPs under their second homes allowance. | |
| 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 Q&A: What the row is all about | |
| This would have seen expenses published under 26 headings but not the details of claims for individual items. | This would have seen expenses published under 26 headings but not the details of claims for individual items. |
| 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. | 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. |
| However, shortly after the end of prime minister's questions, the government revealed the vote on the FOI proposal would not take place. | However, shortly after the end of prime minister's questions, the government revealed the vote on the FOI proposal would not take place. |
| BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said the move would be seen as a "screeching u-turn" by the government. | BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said the move would be seen as a "screeching u-turn" by the government. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 'Agreement' | |
| 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". | 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. | MPs will still vote on Thursday on separate proposals to tighten up the auditing of expenses and revisions to the expenses rule book. |
| Earlier, Mr Brown blamed the Conservatives for what he said was a breakdown of a previous consensus over the way forward. | 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. | "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. |
| If passed, this order would have had a catastrophic impact on the reputation of Parliament Peter Facey, Unlock Democracy | |
| "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." |
| The Conservatives denied they had initially struck a deal with Labour not to oppose the changes, saying there was "no question" of the party ever backing the proposals. | |
| The Lib Dems, who described the FOI exemption proposal as "outrageous", said the decision was a "humiliating climbdown" by the government. | |
| "It is also a victory for everyone who thinks that politicians should be open and accountable to the people who pay their wages," said party leader Nick Clegg. | |
| Freedom of Information campaigners welcomed the decision, saying 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 supporters on the Facebook website. | |
| "If passed, this order would have had a catastrophic impact on the reputation of Parliament," said Peter Facey, director of the pressure group Unlock Democracy. | |
| "We now call on the parliamentary authorities to publish MPs expenses at the earliest opportunity." |