Brown 'was warned' over MPs' expenses crisis

Nov 14 2009 by Andrew Hebden, The Journal

GORDON Brown was warned of the impending crisis over MPs’ expenses on taking over as Prime Minister from Tony Blair, the government’s former sleaze watchdog has revealed.

Sir Alistair Graham, former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said he raised concerns with Mr Brown in 2007 about the potential damage that could be caused to the standing of politicians by the expenses regime.

However, the prime minister failed to heed the warnings from Sir Alistair and no action was taken to change the controversial system until the scandal erupted earlier this year when details of MPs’ claims were published in The Daily Telegraph.

Sir Alistair told an audience of business leaders in Newcastle: “I bet he (Gordon Brown) wishes he had taken my advice at the time.”

Sir Alistair, who chaired the committee from 2003 until 2007 before handing over to the current incumbent Sir Christopher Kelly, said he raised his concerns at the highest level on several occasions. In the committee’s annual report and later in a face-to-face meeting with Mr Brown, Hexham-born Sir Alistair said he had explained that a number of MPs at the time saw the allowances as a means to top up salaries that they considered were lower than they should be.

Sir Alistair, who was speaking at the North East Chamber of Commerce (NECC) Tyneside and Northumberland dinner at the city’s Civic Centre, has been one of the most high profile critics of the behaviour of MPs with regard to their expenses. He told the NECC dinner that his concerns had centred on the fact that the expenses system was less rigorous and transparent than it needed to be and that a root and branch review was needed – a recommendation that was not adopted until after the crisis had run its course.

The former civil service trades union leader, who now lives in north Northumberland, added that “the maintenance of high ethical standards was not at the heart of the Tony Blair Government”.

And he went to say that Mr Brown had become “overwhelmed” by the furore surrounding MPs’ expenses.

Sir Alistair also praised the controversial review carried out by his successor Sir Christopher aimed at restoring public confidence in the Parliamentary expenses system, which has attracted severe criticism from some MPs.