Adrian Collett's Covenant to voters (Aldershot Constituency Liberal Democrats)

Aldershot Constituency Liberal Democrats <info@aldershotlibdems.org.uk>

Adrian Collett, the Liberal Democrat candidate to become the next MP for Aldershot, Blackwater and Farnborough, has made 10 Parliamentary Pledges to voters in response to the scandal over MP's expenses.

Adrian Collett

Adrian said: "It's time for higher standards at Westminster. I am shocked at how many MPs employ family members for example. It's hard to see how this would happen under a properly open and fair recruitment process, based purely on job related criteria.

"I don't believe that the measures so far agreed by Parliament are enough. This is an area where prospective MPs can take a lead right now and I am challenging my General Election opponents to match all of these standards accordingly.

"The people of Aldershot, Blackwater and Farnborough deserve an MP who can be trusted to be completely honest, fully accountable and not seeking election for their own personal gain. I believe this covenant meets that requirement and I call upon all candidates to sign up to it without delay."

Adrian Collett's electoral covenant for Aldershot Constituency makes these 10 Parliamentary Pledges:

1. I will NOT have a second home. I will continue to live here in the constituency and will commute to London - like thousands of other local residents.

2. I will only make an expense claim where I am incurring genuinely additional costs in the service of my Aldershot, Blackwater and Farnborough constituents. Even if there are rules that allow me to claim for everyday items while staying away from home, I will not do this. I will only claim for costs that are both extra and unavoidable in my work as your MP.

3. I will publish details of all my expense claims at least monthly on my website. No expenses will be claimed without a bona fide receipt and my accounts will be independently verified on an annual basis at my own expense. An annual report, including a summary of my expenses, will be sent to every home in the constituency. I have already published my expenses as a councillor for the past year [hyperlink to Adrian Collett's salary and expenses for 2009].

4. I will be a full-time MP and will not take on any other paid employment, directorship or consultancy outside Parliament. I will gain understanding of the impact of legislation on businesses and on non-profit organisations as part of my role as your local MP.

5. I will not accept any gifts, gratuities, entertainment or favour from lobbyists or anyone else who might be seeking to influence my opinion. Listing such things in the Register of Members' Interests is not good enough. I simply won't take them.

6. I will maintain an accessible office here in the constituency and hold regular surgeries at accessible venues in Aldershot, Blackwater and Farnborough.

7. I will not employ family members at public expense under any circumstances.

8. I will advertise all publicly funded jobs in our local press. All jobs, whether London or constituency based, will be advertised in the Aldershot News & Mail series and open to all on the basis of merit, measured against published objective criteria.

9. I will publish a list of all employees on my website. I will also publish the total salary bill for these employees. However, in order to respect individual privacy, I will not publish any individual salaries other than my own.

10. I will press for radical changes in the rules to make all MPs truly accountable to their constituents. I will campaign to get big money and corrupt donors out of politics altogether, give power over the police and NHS to local communities, change the voting system to abolish safe seats and give you the right to sack corrupt MPs.

Click here for full details of Adrian's expenses as a County Councillor