Michael Edwards for South Derbyshire

I have signed the new Labour Party pledge on standards, at the launch by Gordon Brown in London. 

I have served in public life because of what I hope I can give, rather than what I might get. 

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The claims on public money by MPs for allowances and expenses stopped a sensible discussion of local issues in the County Council elections. 

I've written to the four County Councillors who lost their seats in the local elections to acknowledge their achievements and will be writing to people in South Derbyshire soon with an acknowledgement of the wrong-doing. 

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I've written to Labour’s four former County Councillors, Trevor Southerd, Kath Lauro, Alan Jones and Sean Bambrick, to congratulate them on their work at the County Council. 

“Trevor, Kath, Alan and Sean worked in a group that stayed focused on running the Derbyshire County Council well. 

“They can look back with pride on their part in providing new children’s centres, improvements to local schools and sustaining free home-help services for the elderly. 

“Never have I seen Derbyshire’s record acknowledged so well on the doorstep. 

“Never have I known the local councillors’ achievements and service be so irrelevant to the election results." 

- -  Fuller statement - - 

We take pride in Britain being early in winning freedom - parliamentary democracy, votes for all, the secret ballot.   

It matters that our Parliament is well-run.

It is clear that many people chose to use the recent elections to send a message to the Labour Party.  You want national politics to be cleaned up.

I have heard that message. 

I know all political parties have been implicated by the wrong-doing.  But it is important for Labour candidates such as myself to acknowledge what has happened and that people expect better of Labour.  I support the action taken by the Labour Party against wrong-doers.

I welcome the creation of an independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to regulate the system of allowances.   And - expenses only for parliamentary duties; independent scrutiny of every claim made in the last four years; a statutory code of conduct for MPs, with consequences for those who fail to meet the code.   I will follow the new code and publish any claims on-line. 

Our priority remains economic recovery.  People and businesses need help. 

But our belief in our democracy is important and Parliament must deliver on these new proposals to clean up politics.

The full version of the pledge is -

As a Labour candidate:

• I seek elected office for the honour of serving the public and our democracy not for personal gain;
• If elected I will subscribe to high standards of integrity, transparency, accountability and prudence with public money;
• Constituents will always come first and I will comply with the current and any new rules on outside earnings;
• I will publish online my full salary and parliamentary allowances;
• I believe it a duty to hold regular meetings, engagement events and surgeries with my community and constituents and will do so;
• I will communicate regularly with my electorate and will be available through email, telephone and other means to my constituents;
• I will regularly report back to my constituency party as well as to my constituents.

A larger photo is available at -

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/3662261414_03b1329b47_b.jpg