We must reduce the cost of politics

David Cameron stressed the importance of reducing the cost of politics at Prime Minister’s Question - and outlined proposals to publish all expenses online, scrap the Communications Allowance and reduce the number of MPs.

David said we need urgent action on the expenses issues, and warned that Gordon Brown’s suggestion of a committee to examine whether or not claims broke the rules “doesn’t go to the heart of problem”.

“The issue is not so much whether the rules have been obeyed, but the rules themselves. It’s a moral and an ethical issue, and requires some political leadership to sort it out.”

David urged Gordon Brown to adopt his proposal for MPs to publish all their expenses online from now on; he demanded an end to the £10,000 Communications Allowance each MP receives, describing it as “a gigantic waste of money”; and he suggested making the House of Commons “smaller and more efficient” by reducing the number of MPs.

He stressed, “Isn’t it time to stop the talking, stop the endless committees and start showing some real leadership to deliver some real change?”

And he asked the House, “How can we bring about the change this country needs if we cannot change ourselves?”