THE watchdog in charge of parliamentary expenses has declared war on MPs, saying they can no longer be trusted to police their own affairs.

In an explosive intervention in the row over Culture Secretary Maria Miller’s claims, Sir Ian Kennedy called for the Commons to “give away powers in regulating itself”. He claimed that “MPs marking their own homework always ends in scandal”.

He said ending the system under which a committee of MPs ultimately decides whether one of their a colleague is guilty of misconduct over expenses , and how they should be punished, is the “only way forward”, while this government punishes the poor with the bedroom tax and refers low-paid workers to debt recovery companies for any overpayment with working tax credits.

Andrew Nutt Heolddu Road Bargoed