IF the county’s MPs have got nothing to hide, why not publish their expense claims and fully disclose details of other expenditure before the elections on June 4, rather than afterwards?

Indeed, why have they not disclosed them previously, if they truly believe in transparent government?

The public has a right to know how our money is being spent and we need to be confident that parliamentary funds are not being inappropriately used for political purposes.

As a start, MPs should release all expense receipts claimed since the last election, and provide historical timesheets for all staff to ensure that they have been employed on parliamentary business and not on party political work.

This is particularly important where an MP employs politically active staff or family.

They should also provide evidence that their publicly-funded parliamentary offices are not being used for political campaigning.

These are not onerous requirements, merely good practice. All employers (including MPs) should keep accurate personnel records, receipts and financial accounts.

My suspicion is that MPs have got away for years with the sort of sloppy management practices that they would freely condemn in others.

Our political system may not be infected by the type of open bribery that one finds elsewhere, but corruption takes many forms.

Craig Simmons, Oxford City Councillor, Green Party, Magdalen Road, Oxford