GORDON BROWN attempted to quell growing public anger over MPs’ taxpayer-funded expenses yesterday by setting out emergency reforms to be voted on in the Commons as early as next week.
The Prime Minister bowed to pressure to act ahead of an imminent independent review and called on MPs to accept they had to axe their controversial £24,000-a-year second home allowance.
A “simpler and less generous” system of perks, including a daily fixed-rate attendance allowance, was needed to show voters MPs were “there to serve the public not there to serve themselves”, he said.
Tory leader David Cameron, who will join Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg for talks with Mr Brown on the plans tomorrow, welcomed the PM’s “U-turn” on the need for more urgent changes.
But both men expressed serious reservations over whether a Brussels-style attendance allowance was the best way to restore public faith that MPs were not milking the system.
And the head of the watchdog undertaking a fundamental review of the pay and perks system warned a political “quick fix” would not satisfy angry voters.
Westminster has been rocked by a series of controversies over claims, mostly involving MPs’ second homes, which have drawn in Cabinet ministers including Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
Mr Brown, who unveiled his proposals through a video posted on the Downing Street website, had previously resisted demands for immediate action.
