First Anti-Sleaze Candidate Welcomes Decision To Prosecute MPs
Listen to David Kirwan on this matter
THE first Independent candidate to declare he was standing at the height of the Expenses Scandal has welcomed the decision to prosecute three Labour MPs and a Tory Peer.
Leading lawyer David Kirwan, who is the Prospective Independent MP for Wirral West, said he believed the criminal prosecution would ensure that the scandal remained a major issue up until polling day.
The Wirral West constituency is one of the Tories’ must-win seats with Labour’s Stephen Hesford - who recently announced he was standing down at the General Election - holding a majority of just 1164.
David Kirwan said today: “The Expenses Scandal is still very much alive as an issue on the doorsteps of the Wirral West constituency.
“It would be the height of arrogance for anyone to think that the biggest scandal in British political history could be so quickly swept under the carpet. The voters in my constituency and elsewhere will not forgive and forget that easily.
“The decision to prosecute the three Labour MPs and Tory Peer reinforces more than ever that the time has come to shake up our political system.
“Our so called major political parties have abused the system and the trust of the electorate. The time has come for a new era in British politics with the election of genuinely independent candidates who bring with them experience, trustworthiness and a desire to do the best for their constituents rather than themselves.”
Mr Kirwan said that the issue of sleaze continued to dominate conversations he was having on the doorsteps of Wirral West.
He added: “I took the decision to stand in Wirral West after being appalled like many millions of others by the greed, hypocrisy and utter recklessness of many of our politicians.
“Far from disappearing from the political agenda, the fallout from the Expenses Scandal will continue to haunt Gordon Brown and David Cameron now and throughout the General Election campaign. I firmly believe the voters of this country will bring about a seismic change in the way we are governed.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
· For further information or interviews with David Kirwan please contact either Nick Mason or Rachel Mealing at Mason Media on 0151 239 5050 or 07903 237008.
I applaud the decision to prosecute these men who have abused their position of trust, although I am sure there are many more who should have been prosecuted had the evidence been available. However, rather than accept their wrongdoing they are trying to use their positions to avoid prosecution! Will they never learn.
by Name (required)
on 05. Feb, 2010
Members of parliament are elected to be the representatives of the people. As such they should be honourable, honest men and women, an example to others. To hear these men claim they cannot be prosecuted because of parliamentary privilege makes me very angry. They make the laws and should be accountable to them. We need politicians who are there because of what they believe in, not to make money at our expense
by Nigel Picton
on 06. Feb, 2010
Let us be clear. Taking taxpayers money with fake expenses claims is not a ‘proceeding of Parliament’. If any of the MP’s or Lords try to claim Parliamentary privilege as a defence against their criminal charges it should be seen as an admission of guilt.
by Malcolm Saunders
on 06. Feb, 2010