We need to fix our political system

Public anger at the expenses scandal is part of a deeper frustration with our whole political system.  Labour have had 13 years to mend our broken politics. But Gordon Brown is just not capable of doing it.  He has tried to block the publication of MPs’ expenses, he has dithered over reform, he is trying to fiddle the electoral system to save his own skin, and he is even willing to tolerate Labour MPs taking parliamentary privilege to avoid prosecution for fraud and wrongdoing. 

We can’t go on with five more years of Gordon Brown’s old politics. We need change and real reform of the political system.  That means cutting the cost of politics by cutting the size of the House of Commons; ensuring MPs can’t use parliamentary privilege to evade justice; full transparency over expenses; cleaning up lobbying; and a radical redistribution of power from Whitehall and Westminster to communities and citizens.  To get real political change we need a change of government.