Gordon Brown may ensure MP expenses remain visible under FoI

Gordon Brown ally Ed Balls has indicated that the Prime Minister in waiting will ensure that MPs expenses are fully available through the Freedom of Information Act. Chancellor Brown may seek to have the private members bill amended to prevent expenses returning to secrecy.

Ed Balls, minister for the City and a Labour MP closely aligned to Gordon Brown said on his constituency website that there is a "proper" need for "public scrutiny of expenses and allowances". This follows the revelation by the Mail newspaper that the Conservative MP tabling the private members bill David Maclean MP spent over £3,000 on a quad bike just for visiting a few agricultural shows in his constituency.

A full list of MPs who voted to remove themselves from Freedom of Information Act compliance is available here.