A chance to do the right honourable thing (Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats)

Saffron Walden Constituency Liberal Democrats <info@saffronwaldenlibdems.org.uk>

A chance to do the right honourable thing

October 22, 2009 9:58 PM

In a letter to local newspapers, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Saffron Walden Constituency Peter Wilcock pledged that he would not claim for a second home at taxpayers' expense.

"I applaud those honourable members of parliament who have agreed to abide by the Legg report and repay excessive expenses.

However it is unfortunate that a lot of those honourable members had forgotten how they got there in the first place. They had forgotten that they have a duty to act honourably and not to make claims that they felt were unreasonable, even if such claims were within the rules that they had created.

Even now, some of them cannot see why it has so angered the hardworking general public, who do not have the luxury of claiming for travel to and from work, a gardener, and a second home.

It is unfortunate that many MPs regard themselves as standing in safe seats, and think that anything that they do will not matter because the public will re-elect them regardless of what they do.

However the anger on this occasion will hopefully see some changes at the general election which will take place within the next eight months.

I am standing for Parliament in Saffron Walden constituency. I consider that being elected in that seat would be an honour. It would be a privilege to serve local electors. I have always said, long before the expenses scandal, that I would commute to Westminster on a daily basis, and spend only as much time there as was necessary to represent the people of my constituency. I would spend as much time as possible working locally to help local people and businesses.

I look forward to the election when I know that the people of Saffron Walden will want to see a change in the attitude and behaviour of their elected representative."