A declaration of intent

The idea that MPs should have to declare in the Register of Member’s Interests any family members who work for them is a sensible response to the Conway crisis. However appropriate it may be in certain circumstances for family members to work for an MP it needs to be placed on the record if the suspicion is not to grow that the whole parliamentary allowances system is a giant racket.

It is depressing, but predictable, that the Speaker is unenthusiastic about these changes. As Fraser wrote last week, Michael Martin has not grasped how urgently the Commons needs to reform itself if trust in politics is not to be lost for good.