The present expenses scandal highlights the need for fundamental reform of the British political system. Devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland was a necessary and partial improvement and we now need to move on from that.

Key reforms which should take place are:

Reduce the number of MP's to about 400 from the present 650.

Establish a form of proportional representation for voting with fixed term four year parliaments.

Scrap the House of Lords and replace it with a directly elected upper chamber of 100 members with a fixed seven year term.

Abolish all county, district and unitary councils and replace them with directly elected regional assemblies with fixed four year terms. The assemblies to have similar powers to those in Wales and NI.

Allow towns and parishes to have locasl councils if they wish. No national or regional finance for them. All money they need to be raised within their own community.

All elected members to be subject to recall if demanded by 3% of their electorate.

Sack Speaker Martin, set up a fully independent enquiry into al Parliamentary expenses of the Commons and the Lords with referral to the Police wherever there may have been dishonesty.

Call an immediate General Election.