Two Liberal Democrat MPs have called for MPs who knowingly abused the expenses system to stand down immediately.
In an early day motion tabled yesterday, Greg Mulholland and Norman Baker say the Commons should insist that: "Any hon. Member who is either convicted of a criminal offence in respect to their expense claims or found by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to have claimed expenses deliberately or to have purposely misrepresented information to personally benefit from expenses to be forced to step down from their position with immediate effect".
If adopted such a move would trigger by-elections in the vacated seats prior to a general election, causing a major headache for the parties.
"This is the only way to demonstrate to the public in a way that will command confidence that abuse of hon. Members' allowances will be properly punished," EDM 2176 adds.
Mulholland and Baker also argue that MPs who are forced to step down in these circumstances should forfeit their right to severance payments - worth from half to all of their £60,000 salary - which are normally available to MPs.
Their call comes ahead of the publication of Sir Christopher Kelly's review of the parliamentary expenses system.
According to reports, Sir Christopher Kelly, chairman of the committee on standards in public life, will recommend MPs will have to rent a property if they require a second home.
The report, due to be published on November 4, is expected to meet stiff opposition from many MPs.
With only two signatories so far the EDM is highly unlikely to be adopted.
