Today Sir Ian Kennedy has confirmed his desire to implement Sir Christopher Kelly's Standards in Public Life Committee recommendation that capital gains should be clawed back.

Over 400 MPs are known to have legitimately bought property using Parliamentary monies, including the three party leaders. All will become liable for capital gains tax if Parliament agrees the Kennedy/Kelly proposal.

John Mann first proposed this in a resolution to parliament on 3 July 2008. Despite gaining no seconder from the other 645 MPs, Mann used his knowledge of Erskine May to outwit Speaker Michael Martin and manoeuvre the resolution though. Baffled MPs were on a non-whipped vote during the debate and the whips were therefore unable to intervene and block Mann's resolution.

The then Speaker, Michael Martin and his Members Estimates Committee failed to implement the resolution but it created an opening for Sir Christopher Kelly to insist that MPs special tax status be removed and capital gains also be paid back retrospectively.

Today John Mann is calling for Parliament to endorse the Kennedy/Kelly proposal in advance of the General Election.

John Mann commented "MPs should have the same tax status as their constituents and all homes partly funded by Parliamentary expenses should become liable for capital gains tax".

 16 February 2010