PARLIAMENT STUCK IN A TIME WARP, SAYS MARTIN (Cheltenham Liberal Democrats)

Cheltenham Liberal Democrats <info@cheltlibdems.org.uk>

PARLIAMENT STUCK IN A TIME WARP, SAYS MARTIN

October 11, 2007 12:34 PM

Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood has today submitted an amendment strengthening a parliamentary motion criticising the two tier system in Parliament, whereby MPs get exclusive access to a number of facilities. It came in the wake of a recent recommendation by the authorities that run Parliament that MPs are now to receive formal priority access to all services, including lifts, the post office, the lunch queue and the photocopiers - even over their own staff!

Martin's amendment highlights the 'Members only' bathrooms in Parliament, saying that "the age of the executive washroom passed in the 1960s and that the toilets in the palace of Westminster should be available on the basis of need not rank"

Commenting Martin said:

"Parliament is stuck in a time warp and is in real need of a good dose of modernisation.

"It's ridiculous that the staff who work for Parliament or for MPs are treated like second class citizens. Their hard work - which is usually done for considerably less pay than an MP - is crucial for the smooth and effective running of Parliament.

"The House authorities should stop indulging snobby MPs who want special treatment. MPs should be working to break down the stereotype of them as old fashioned and detached, not damaging our reputation by creating rules like this."

Martin also recently objected to the Bill to exempt MPs from Freedom of Information rules and has criticised the archaic system of MPs expenses on Channel 4's 'Dispatches' programme.