MPs have 'squandered opportunity' to regain trust, says Lord Carey

Lord Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, has attacked the blanked-out publication of MPs expenses as a 'squandered opportunity' to start rebuilding public trust.

Writing exclusively in tomorrow's News of the World, he also calls for an autumn general election so that ''we, the electorate, can make an active effort to vote for candidates who put the interests of their nation and their constituents above that of themselves and their parties.''

Stressing that the work of many hard-working MPs is undermined by a 'No.1 first' minority, he adds: ''Make no mistake, the rate at which many have been rushing to pay back 'mistaken' claims reveals that they know they can't defend themselves in the court of public opinion.''

Referring to the public's mood, Lord Carey, a member of the House of Lords for 18 years, writes: "The trouble is that this anger is directed towards the very heart of our democracy. We should have pride in the mother of Parliaments, instead there is now only shame and embarrassment.

"The blacked-out expenses released to the public this week are nothing short of a joke. Far from taking the opportunity of their publication to reassure the public, there has been another cover-up."

* READ THE FULL ARTICLE EXCLUSIVELY IN TOMORROW'S NEWS OF THE WORLD

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