Labour man's fury at PM Brown

TOP Ipswich Labour politician Kevan Lim has fired off a furious letter to the Prime Minister warning that the MPs expenses scandal could cost votes in the next month's county elections.

Mr Lim - deputy leader of his group at the county council - said today he had been angered by the difficulty of getting his party's local message across on the doorsteps during the current election campaign.

“We have real concerns we are trying to raise, about the current administration's policy on home care, on the way they appointed a chief executive with such a huge salary, and other issues that affect people in their everyday life.

“But those arguments are being drowned out by the row over MPs expenses claims. Fewer people are interested in issues on the doorstep.

“I have called at houses where normally I would expect to get a reaction - but they just wanted me to go away. It is politics and politicians of all sides that are now being held in contempt. And that is very bad for democracy.”

In his letter to Gordon Brown Mr Lim says: “It is a disgrace to read on a daily basis of the ways in which MPs and Lords of all parties have manipulated the system and these abuses have to end.

“I am extremely angry that all the hard work and dedication shown by Labour councillors in Suffolk could be undone by the shameful way in which some MPs have used the system to enhance their own personal lifestyle at the taxpayers expense.

“You have a responsibility as Prime Minister and Leader of the party to ensure urgent action is taken to end this damaging fiasco and to restore some credibility in the public mind to the political process.

“I am happy to stand on my record as a local councillor and be judged by my electorate. I suspect however that some of us will be judged by the electorate not on our own records but on the behaviour of greedy MPs.”

Mr Lim said he had sent a copy of the letter to Ipswich MP Chris Mole - and hoped to discuss the issue with him over the next few days.