MPs expenses and parliamentary sovereignty

The last couple of weeks has seen a new scandal, affecting all main parties represented in Parliament. The Daily Telegraph has had access to details of MPs expenses claimed to the House of Commons as part of their allowances. It appeared that many MPs have claimed money for furniture, TVs, shopping expenses, mortgage payments which had been closed, etc. Several heads have already rolled, including one government minister and two members of the Shadow Cabinet. Michael Martin, the Speaker of the House of Commons, was pushed to resign, while leaders of the main parties vowed to deselect MPs who had abused the system.

Yesterday G. Brown announced a reform of the system, with an independent regulator of MPs' expenses. That would be an unprecedented breach of parliamentary sovereignty. The Cabinet is now being pushed by some, including Peter Mandelson and David Miliband, to go forward with more constitutional reform, including electoral reform and an elected House of Lords, plans which had been shelved with the economic crisis.