Tuesday, 11 January 2011

Illsley's Position Now Untenable

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12157768

Labour MP Eric Illsley has pleaded guilty in court today to charges of false accounting over claims of a second home.

Yet he has not resigned as an MP.

Yes it's true that he can still retain his seat in Parliament if he now receives a custodial sentence of less than a year.  But given the fact that he has been found guilty of misusing tax-payers' money and can now be said to have betrayed the trust of his own constituents, there is no way, in my opinion that he can remain an MP.

Labour leader Ed Miliband and Prime Minister David Cameron  have, quite rightly, called for him to resign gracefully.

Following the conviction and jailing last week of fellow Labour MP David Chaytor over the expenses scandal, this is another black day for the reputation of Parliament.

Mr Illsley's reputation, like Mr Chaytor's, is now in ruins. And there are further trials of other MPs to come. 

Nobody found guilty of such serious offences can expect to remain in public office.

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