The repetitive calls from the Tories for an immediate general election are a desperate attempt to try to avoid having to deal with their errant MPs.

The Conservative high command know that an election now would sweep away MPs regardless of whether they have been innocent or guilty, frugal or profligate.

It would let the parties, not just the Tories, completely off the hook from having to go through the painful and painstaking process of dealing with their MPs. So far not a single Tory MP has had the whip removed.

An early election would allow the squires of the shires to slip quietly into comfortable retirement with their ducks and moats.

It would also avoid the independent and retrospective audit that is underway of all MPs’ expenses which will ensure individuals are treated fairly and consistently.

That is an irritant to Cameron who has tried to use the expenses issue to remove “bed blockers” while turning a blind eye to worse offenders.

Another important reason for not having an election now is that we have a rare but time-limited chance of achieving major democratic reform.

The changes agreed to the expenses system and the end to the self regulation of Parliament are revolutionary, but change can’t end there.

As Alan Johnson and Nick Clegg have grasped, we need urgently to drag our whole political system, not just Parliament into the 21st Century.

The current House of Commons, full of traumatised and chastened MPs, is much more likely to vote for radical change than a new one of MPs claiming their fresh mandates mean they don’t need to change.

That’s another reason the Tories are desparate for an election now. They hate the idea of progressive democratic reform. Cameron filled two pages in the Guardian this week with nothing except: “we might go for fixed term parliaments”. Wow! Nothing on the two most urgent reforms - a fairer voting system and a democratic second chamber.

This is a real opportunity for progressive forces in Britain. We, collectively, must seize it.

Dear Constituent,

Ever since I was first elected as your Member of Parliament in 1997 I have always been acutely aware that every penny I have claimed to do my job is your, the public’s, money.

I have always kept my costs low, for example by cycling around Exeter and London and travelling standard class on the train.

I have also always argued for full transparency and accountability on MPs’ expenses and have consistently voted in the Commons for reform. You can verify this on the independent website that monitors MPs www.theyworkforyou.com.

I am today publishing details of my second home expenses in advance of all the expenses of all MPs being published soon. You can find these on the front page of this website.

They show that I have consistently claimed less than any other MP in Devon and Cornwall. My travel expenses and my overall expenses have also always been the lowest. Again, you can check this on www.theyworkforyou.com.

I have never claimed for things like food, furniture or fittings and fixtures. The test for me has always been: “What would my constituents think of this?”

I hope you find what I am publishing reassuring. If you have any points or questions I would be happy to respond to them.

It is a huge privilege working for the people of Exeter. I always strive to serve my constituents well and provide you with value for money and will continue to do so in future.

With very best wishes,

Ben

Politics, Parliament and British democracy are in a crisis unprecedented in modern times.
Our country is paying a terrible price for Parliament’s failure to reform itself radically, sooner.

It’s little personal comfort to me that my expenses have been consistently low or that I have always argued publicly for and voted for root and branch reform. Little comfort because we are all being dragged into the mire. Little comfort and no protection - my civil partner and I still suffered the false smear treatment from the Torygraph - for having the effrontery to…share our home!

The public, and Labour members and supporters, are angry and rightly so.

They don’t want to hear explanations or excuses. They don’t want to hear us making comparisons beteen Labour bath plugs and Tory swimming pools and moats. They don’t want the parties or their leaders appearing to seek party political advantage by playing leap frog with a series of kness jerk, piecemeal, or ill thought through proposals for cleaning the system up. The Tories and Liberal Democrats have and will continue to exploit this crisis to their advantage. Even worse, so will the BNP, UKIP and other fringe parties. They are doing so with some success as the polls tell us and canvassing confirms. The fact that the only UK parliamentarian currently in jail for corruption is a former UKIP MEP cuts little ice.

We must never forget that the vast majority of MPs are honest and work hard for their constituents and for what they believe in.

However, some MPs from all parties have behaved foolishly, wrecklessly, venally and, in some cases maybe illegally.

What must be done? In Government it’s much more difficult to be fleet of foot and respond to events than in opposition. David Cameron can make a speech, publish a press release and create an appearance of action. He doesn’t have a country to run. This can give the impression the Government is constantly on the backfoot, reacting to events, playing catch up.

That must change and it can because Governents have the power to act and set the agenda, rather than just talk about it.

We require bold and decisive leadership from the top. Gordon has acted swiftly to suspend or withdraw the whip from MPs when he thinks their behaviour warrants it. Cameron, having given the impression of activity, has treated the worst Tory offenders much more leniently.

Gordon must continue to act swiftly and decisively - sacking, suspending and withdrawing the whip where justified. Local parties should hold their sitting MPs to account, deselecting them where it is justified.

But as well as dealing swiftly and decisively with errant Labour MPs, Gordon needs to act with great urgency to rebuild trust in Parliament. It is no longer sustainable for MPs to regulate themselves. Even the use of the archaic term “honorable” can surely now only be met with hoots of public derision when applied to some Commons colleagues.

We need the Speaker to lead rather than block reform, while simultaneously defending Parliament and its members from unwarranted attack. The processes, decisions and personnel of the Commons need to be transparent, modern, accountable and professionalised.

If we show leadership and grasp the opportunity for radical reform that this crisis offers we can still regain the initiative, get through this as a party and Government and, yes, win the next election.

But time is perilously short: The public anger is palpable. The system must be fixed in short time, and fixed properly.

Come on you reds!

Elation in Exeter and among fans around the world on Exeter City’s promotion to Division One.

To go up two leagues in two years is fantastic, and it’s a great tribute to the players, manager and loyal fans.

It’s also a vindication for the Trust model of ownership - a good Labour/Co-operative model in action.

I feel slightly vindicated too having some years ago persuaded the Football Trust to invest in improving the St James’ Park ground. One of the first people to come up in Parliament and congratulate me on the Grecian’s success was Lord Pendry, who had signed the cheque.

The Royal College of Nursing is supporting Margaret Haywood, the nurse who was struck off by the Nursing and Midwifery Council after she helped Panorama film examples of poor care at Brighton Hospital.

The RCN say the penalty she received was unduly harsh.

I was pleased to have the opportunity during a debate in Parliament yesterday on the importance of encouraging whistlebowing to say that I agree with them.

The media seem to have lost all sense of proportion and rationality in their reporting of politics.

The fact that the PM secured the most radical reform of MPs’ expenses ever last week is still being described by most journalists as a humiliation in the same breath as the gurkhas.

His pummelling of David Cameron and the Tories who failed to ask a single serious question at Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday was described as a victory for Cameron.

It’s as if anything that doesn’t fit into the current media narrative of prime ministerial loss of authority is ignored.

Well, we just have to keep slogging away, taking the right decisions for the country, exposing the Tories crazy slash and burn policies vacum and we’ll come back, as we have before.

My friend Nick Robinson, the BBC’s political editor, has now been on the Today programme two days running sounding the death knell (with a little too much enthusiasm) for the Prime Minister.

What Nick failed to tell us today (Friday) was that his prediction yesterday (Thursday) that Gordon would suffer another humiliation on MPs’ expenses proved to be completely wide of the mark.

In fact, Gordon got everything he said he had wanted in his much derided youtube broadcast - receipts for everything, the abilotion of the second homes allowance for outer London MPs, the full declaration of outside earnings, the centralised employment of MPs’ staff and an end to ministers with grace and favour accommodation claiming for second homes.

The only thing he didn’t get, which had already been acknowledged on Monday, was the short term reform of the second home allowance based on Commons attendance. That had already been abandoned when the Tories and Lib Dems said they would oppose it and it will now be decided by the review of Sir Christopher Kelly and his independent committee on standards in public life.

I am very fond of Anthony Steen, even though he’s a Tory.

He is a non tribal pre-Thatcherite Conservative who spent much of his early political life championing the causes of the poor, particularly bad housing.

He also shows a refreshing disregard for what the media will make of his public pronouncements.

They are usually entertaining and often endearing. He is one of those few MPs whom members from all sides of the Commons listen to - because he always comes up with something unexpected and often hilarious.

But on this occasion, Anthony, I wish you’d thought before you spoke!

To suggest Devon or Torbay might become no-go areas because of swine flu is completely unnecessary and potentially very damaging.

We all remember the harm that was done to the South West economy by the over-reaction to foot and mouth.

We have learned the lessons since then. There are meticulously drawn up contingency plans about what to do at every stage of a particular pandemic.

There is no reason to do anything other than what is currently advised on being vigilant, containing sneezes, hand washing and travelling to Mexico.

So get out, enjoy the fine bank holiday weather and make a point of visiting Devon and experiencing the beauty we have to offer.