Labour PPCs – we don’t seek office for personal gain

by | May 20, 2009 | Articles, Section: Article | 10 comments

The expenses scandal brings suspicion on all those who seek to represent their political parties. As a measure of our intention to try and restore an element of trust between voters and political representatives ahead of the June 4th elections, and an eventual general election, as Prospective Parliamentary Candidates we would like to put on record the following five pledges which will govern our conduct if we are elected to Parliament.

A great many of our current Members of Parliament already embody these principles in their day-to-day conduct and their example should be recognised. We would not like to return to a system where only those who are already independently wealthy can put themselves forward for election to Parliament, so necessary reforms to the system of MPs’ expenses and allowances should acknowledge the legitimate need for those representing constituencies outside Greater London to claim for appropriate accommodation and travel expenses. In the absence, however, of a decision on the final form of the new system, these pledges will act as our guide if we have the honour of being elected to the House of Commons.

  • As a parliamentary candidate I will subscribe to high standards of integrity, transparency, accountability and financial economy;
  • I seek elected office not for personal gain but to serve the public and our democracy, which I consider an honour and a privilege;
  • I will publish my expenses online within a month of submitting them and publicise them annually in full to constituents;
  • I will hold regular meetings with my community and will regularly report back to my constituency party;
  • I will apply the principle of best value to all decisions I make which involve the use of public money to cover my duties, including for travel and accommodation.

Signed:

  1. Stephen Twigg, Labour and Co-op PPC for Liverpool West Derby
  2. Rachel Reeves, Labour PPC for Leeds West
  3. Kevin Bonavia, Labour PPC for Rochford and Southend East
  4. Tom Flynn, Labour PPC for Southend West
  5. Kevin McKeever, Labour PPC for Harborough
  6. Stuart King, Labour PPC for Putney
  7. Alex Hilton, Labour PPC for Chelsea and Fulham
  8. Joe Goldberg, Labour PPC for Witney
  9. David Rowntree, Labour PPC for Cities of London and Westminster
  10. Lucy Powell, Labour PPC for Manchester Withington
  11. Andrew Pakes, Labour and Co-op PPC for Milton Keynes North
  12. Matthew Rodda, Labour PPC for East Surrey
  13. Cllr Allan Davies, Labour PPC for Basildon and Billericay
  14. Julian Ware-Lane, Labour PPC for Castle Point
  15. Sonia Klein, Labour PPC for Ilford North
  16. Emma Reynolds, Labour PPC for Wolverhampton North East
  17. Luke Pollard, Labour PPC for South West Devon
  18. Charlotte Mackenzie, Labour PPC for Truro and Falmouth
  19. Alan Strickland, Labour PPC for Berwick-upon-Tweed
  20. Nick Smith, Labour PPC for Blaenau Gwent
  21. Ruth Smeeth, Labour PPC for Burton
  22. Jude Robinson, Labour PPC for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle
  23. Bambos Charalambous, Labour PPC for Enfield Southgate
  24. Tim Shand, Labour PPC for Guildford
  25. James Alexander, Labour PPC for York Outer
  26. Bhavna Joshi, Labour PPC for Central Suffolk & North Ipswich
  27. Rachel Voller, Labour PPC for Romford
  28. Rebecca Rennison, Labour PPC for South West Wiltshire
  29. Lee Jameson, Labour PPC for St Austell and Newquay
  30. Jonathan Slater, Labour PPC for Aldershot
  31. Anneliese Dodds, Labour PPC for Reading East
  32. Brian Tomlinson, Labour PPC for Twickenham
  33. Richard Scorer, Labour PPC for Hazel Grove
  34. Rushanara Ali, Labour PPC for Bethnal Green and Bow
  35. Claire Hazelgrove, Labour PPC for Skipton and Ripon
  36. Steve Morgan, Labour PPC for Orpington
  37. David Williams, Labour PPC for Crewe and Nantwich
  38. Kathryn White, Labour PPC for Aylesbury
  39. Daniel Zeichner, Labour PPC for Cambridge
  40. Eleanor Tunnicliffe, Labour PPC for Richmond Park
  41. Tony Clements, Labour PPC for Epping Forest
  42. Edward Brown, Labour PPC for Bedfordshire North East
  43. Alison Moore, Labour PPC for Finchley and Golders Green
  44. Chris Clark, Labour PPC for Ashford
  45. Paul Smith, Labour PPC for Bristol West
  46. Sally Gimson, Labour PPC for South Leicestershire
  47. Swatantra Nandanwar, Labour PPC for Maldon
  48. Craig Montgomery, Labour PPC for Epsom & Ewell
  49. Jonathan Roberts, Labour PPC for Thirsk & Malton
  50. Anas Sarwar, Labour PPC for Glasgow Central
  51. Jack Scott, Labour PPC for Sheffield Hallam
  52. Ian Campbell, Labour PPC for Newark
  53. Antoine Tinnion, Labour PPC for Hexham
  54. Michael Castle, Labour PPC South Norfolk
  55. Philipa Latimer, Labour PPC for St Ives
  56. Jane Edbrooke, Labour PPC for East Hampshire
  57. Alex Cunningham, Labour PPC for Stockton North
  58. Jayne Innes, Labour PPC for Nuneaton
  59. John Wiseman, Labour PPC for Westmorland and Lonsdale
  60. Max Freedman, Labour PPC for Kingston and Surbiton
  61. Jenny Rathbone, Labour PPC for Cardiff Central
  62. Stephen Terry, Labour PPC for Hertford and Stortford
  63. Julie Elliot, Labour PPC for Sunderland Central
  64. Tariq Sadiq, Labour PPC for South Cambridgeshire
  65. Simon Holland, Labour PPC for Chichester
  66. Jane Thomas, Labour PPC for Keighley
  67. Ian Ross, Labour PPC for Worthing West
  68. Mike Hobday, Labour PPC for Welwyn Hatfield
  69. Mike Robb, Labour PPC for Inverness Nairn Badenoch and Strathspey
  70. Paul Foster, Labour PPC for Ribble Valley
  71. Shabana Mahmood, Labour PPC for Birmingham Ladywood
  72. Sam Townend, Labour PPC for Bristol North West
  73. Rob Pocock, Labour PPC for Sutton Coldfield
  74. James Royston, Labour PPC for Bexhill and Battle
  75. Richard Stevens, Labour PPC for Oxford West and Abingdon
  76. Bridget Phillipson, Labour PPC for Houghton and Sunderland South
  77. Susan Hinchcliffe, Labour PPC for Shipley
  78. Danny Marten, Labour PPC for Haltemprice & Howden
  79. Howard Linsley, Labour PPC for Meon Valley
  80. Toby Perkins, Labour PPC for Chesterfield
  81. Peter Roberts, Labour PPC for North East Cambridgeshire
  82. Darren Jones, Labour PPC for Torridge and West Devon
  83. Damien Welfare, Labour PPC for Chipping Barnet
  84. Emily Benn, Labour PPC for Worthing East and Shoreham
  85. Simon Burgess, Labour and Co-op PPC for Brighton Kemptown
  86. Robert Smith, Labour PPC for Havant
  87. Hattie Ajderian, Labour PPC for Bath
  88. Ed Williams, Labour PPC for Meriden
  89. Michael Watson, Labour PPC for Broxbourne
  90. Mark Dempsey, Labour PPC for the Cotswolds
  91. Heidi Benzing, Labour PPC for Brentwood and Ongar
  92. Margaret Curran, Labour PPC for Glasgow East
  93. John Mackay, Labour PPC Caithness, Sutherland & Easter Ross
  94. Martin Jevon, Labour PPC for Taunton Dean
  95. Funda Pepperell, Labour PPC for Basingstoke
  96. Gerry Ryan, Labour and Co-op PPC for Croydon Central
  97. Jayne Buckland, Labour PPC for Wellingborough
  98. Darren Barrenger, Labour PPC for Harwich and North Essex
  99. Howard Dawber, Labour PPC for Bexleyheath and Crayford
  100. Ian Boulton, Labour PPC for Filton and Bradley Stoke
  101. Grahame Morris, Labour PPC for Easington
  102. Donald John MacSween, Labour PPC for Eilean Siar
  103. Kath McGuirk, Labour PPC for Hornchurch and Upminster
  104. Yasmin Qureshi, Labour PPC for Bolton South East
  105. Ian Saunders,Labour PPC for Beverley & Holderness
  106. Sid Garg, Labour PPC for Uxbridge and South Ruislip
  107. Sheila Gilmore, Labour PPC for Edinburgh East
  108. Debbie Abrahams, Labour PPC for Colne Valley
  109. Rick Everitt, Labour PPC for Old Bexley and Sidcup
  110. Anita MacDonald, Labour PPC for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner
  111. Mike Le-Surf, Labour PPC for Rayleigh and Wickford
  112. Patrick Davies, Labour PPC for Winchester
  113. Greg McClymont, Labour PPC for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East
  114. Andrew Judge, Labour PPC for Wimbledon
  115. Graham Giles, Labour PPC for Gosport
  116. Katrina Murray, Labour PPC for Dundee East
  117. Steph Booth, Labour PPC for Calder Valley
  118. Richard Jackson, Labour PPC for Tatton
  119. Chris Gudgin, Labour PPC for North West Cambridgeshire
  120. Ash Rehal, Labour PPC for Faversham and Midkent
  121. Tom Ross, Labour PPC for Altrincham & Sale West
  122. James A .Normington, Labour PPC for Sleaford & North Hykeham
  123. Stella Creasy, Labour PPC for Walthamstow
  124. Jim Conalty, Labour PPC for Southport
  125. Hamish Sandison, Labour PPC for Monmouth
  126. Nick Milton, Labour PPC for Kenilworth and Southam
  127. Liam Robinson, Labour PPC for Fylde
  128. Bruce Hogan, Labour PPC for Forest of Dean
  129. David Graham, Labour PPC for Argyll and Bute
  130. Clyde Loakes, Labour PPC for Northampton South
  131. Andrew Skudder, Labour PPC for Horsham
  132. Sharon Carr-Brown, Labour PPC for Bournemouth West
  133. Paul Blomfield, Labour PPC for Sheffield Central
  134. David Boot, Labour PPC for Mid Sussex
  135. Robert Hull, Labour PPC for Reigate
  136. Richard Henry, Labour PPC for North East Herts
  137. James Green, Labour PPC for Cheltenham
  138. Janice Hurne, Labour PPC for New Forest West
  139. Jamie McMahon, Labour PPC for Gainsborough
  140. Kevin McNerney, Labour PPC for Harrogate and Knaresborough
  141. Jeremy Miles, Labour PPC for Beaconsfield
  142. Patrick Mountain, Labour PPC for Louth and Horncastle
  143. David Bradley, Labour PPC for Weston-super-Mare
  144. Tom Blenkinsop, Labour PPC for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland 
  145. Luciana Berger, Labour PPC for Liverpool Wavertree
  146. Gerry Ryan, Labour PPC for Croydon Central
  147. Andy King, Labour PPC for Rugby

Any PPC who wishes to sign the statement or who has pledges of their own please contact Jessica Asato on [email protected] or on 07939594634

10 Comments

  1. Jane Thomas on May 20, 2009 at 6:13 pm

    The Chair of Keighley CLP wrote to the local newspapers last weekend to say that the CLP had asked for, and been given, an undertaking from me that confirms total openess about expenses and willingness to publish expenses information on a regular basis.

  2. Stephen Rennie on May 20, 2009 at 6:19 pm

    This is a good start in reclaiming public trust.

  4. williamcobbett on May 20, 2009 at 7:58 pm

    you bunch of goody two shoes! no politics in these declarations! we have heard enough about good personal intentions…..
    how about an enforceable pledge to seek the Chiltern (or if that ;s taken, the Northstead) hundreds in the event of a challenge to personal (not office) expenses involving more than £1000?
    this pious drool – is a good start in endorsing public cynicism, Stephen Rennie! neoBlairite Pecksniffery – a pretty straight sort of guy…..show us your WMDs
    William Cobbett

  5. Roma Mills on May 20, 2009 at 8:50 pm

    This is no more than people should expect.

  6. David John Steed on May 21, 2009 at 8:02 am

    I would hope that thsi is the start of a reform in the party whereby we get back to our old socialist values. If some parliamentaians had not fallen in love with the failed system that we now live under, core values would have been maintained. Lets go for it!

  7. James Normington on May 25, 2009 at 6:13 pm

    This is only the start. The electorate deserve the finest calibre who execute their responsibilities wisely and in the public interest. The time has come to revise the expense system and replace it with a taxable allowance. Furthermore we should prohibit MPs from taking second jobs and removing such obvious vested interests from the House.

  8. Dr George M. P. Bailey on May 27, 2009 at 4:37 pm

    All very laudable…. BUT…..

    Where is the pledge to defy bullying by the whips; heaven forbid that they are still in existence if we get real radical reform of the whole set up and you get elected.

    James is right; So where is the pledge to have only one job; that of MP.

    A pledge must not, like the polish, lose its shine. it must not be one after another, turning into a list of empty promises.

    We need radical reform of politics at both national and local level, rid our country of unelected bodies as well.

    Where is the pledge to hold governments to account when they change their minds from manifesto propaganda without rigorous defence of their decision.

    All too often we get pledges… remember Prescott and his little card…

    Where is the pledge to drag Westminster and the whole interaction between MPs in the house, into the 21st century

    Yes, it started with money; but it is much more than expenses, it needs a change in the cultural attitude of the Lords and Commons toward us the electorate. Accusations of hysteria and coming on television saying some MPs are suicidal (I sincerely hope not and offer them my help), is yet another means of showing contempt and not addressing the issues.

    If you really want to do the public a service, that is your challenge, to bring about radical change and make everyone accountable,make our country Great again, bring all the political system and civil servants into the 21st century. Actions speak louder than words; start now, you don’t need to be elected to begin the process!

    Putting the honour back into honourable is going to be a very hard task, because if you mean it, you will have to challenge your colleagues and party member, after all that is being human.

    “Happiness depends on being free, and freedom depends on being courageous” Thucydides

    Go forward with courage; your battle against those how do not want change is going to be a real struggle, there will be much wailing and weeping!

  10. Foucault on May 9, 2011 at 5:43 pm

    This is quite the list of MP’s. The agreed pledges are also very good particularly as it encourages and requires PPC’s to be more engaged and accountable to local members. I am sorry some some of you are getting harassed about your motives for being PPC’s. Unfortunately, the problem we have as a party at the moment is not only about image, expenses etc. I am afraid is deeper than showing a statement of commitments. The pool of PPC’s is not as diverse as it could be. I don’t mean colour/culture but more about gender/working people with ordinary roots. Hats off to those of you who are bothered enough to serve local constituents. I fear however for Labour to regain trust, we must endeavour to empower, embolden an build concrete relationships with local people to secure their confidence which in turn will get them to also take up the mantle to lead in their communities.

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