MPs knee-jerk (I say, did you know that the Pope was Catholic?)
There’s been a lot of fuss about this Conway cock-up. Most recently have come calls that MPs should be banned from employing relatives.
I can’t see the case for this. Conway was undoubtedly corrupt - but, so what? He should have the whip withdrawn, yes. He should stand-down, yes. We should introduce a policy of complete transparency on MPs’ costs and expenses, to prevent the same thing happening again.
But should we suspect every MP who employs a relative of corruption? I hope not. That would be a paranoid step devoid of any real rationality - and simply wouldn’t treat the real problem.
There’s no reason for MPs not to employ relatives. For some, it may be hugely preferable. An MP might find it easier to work with their spouse - they presumably married for a reason, after all. A relative might be willing to work harder for another relative, or for less. It can work better.
And it’s not as if the problem is really to do with families. What difference does it make to the paymaster’s purse if it’s paying two wages into one household? None, as long as the work gets done, and everyone can see that’s the case.
And that’s the problem here. A family member was employed - and did absolutely nothing, with nothing being heard until months later. Corruption of this sort, where parliamentary expenses are basically fiddled, isn’t going to be sorted out by slapping out viciously at its first symptom. Instead, total transparency of MPs’ employment details (and spending in general) will allow the public to see immediately if anyone is doing a Derek - and put a stop to it.
There’s nothing inherently corrupt in employing a relative. There’s something inherently corrupt in drawing a wage without doing any work, and that’s the problem here that should be dealt with.
We shouldn’t forget the many MPs who openly employ family members who do a lot of work. Magaret Beckett’s husband has been used as an example, and several others exist. The concerning thing is when MPs try to hide details of who they employ, and who refuse to show evidence of work done in return for payment.
The report on Newsnight last night (was it David Grossman?) remarked that at least a couple of marriages have been saved by co-operation in the office. It is easy to see how spouses will cope better with the hours and lifestyle of being married to an MP if they are inside the Westminster villiage.
There should be no outright ban, but transparancy is surely of first importance.