Published: Thursday, 28th May, 2009 8:00am

Letter: Let common man in the Commons

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THE recent fiasco in Parliament is appalling and the measures being put in place since then are worse.

It must not be impossible for ordinary people to become MPs.

It used to be that you could only afford to stand for Parliament if you had a substantial private income.

I would hate to think that the 30-year-old working class lad from, say, Leeds, would be put off trying to make Britain a better place either because of the poor reputation of Parliament or because of over-stringent reforms to the expenses system. He and his three small children need somewhere to live in both Leeds and in London. This country must make sure that he can.

We must also make sure the only people to whom we grant the privilege of a seat in the House of Commons know how to behave like a gentleman, man or woman the principle is the same.

Let us not throw the proverbial baby out with the bath water.

Members must decide on their own remunerations because there can be no higher power than our Parliament.

It is bad enough that they stripped our Queen of her Royal prerogative already.

Sue Doughty

Verey Close, Twyford