I have just been rung by a Daily Mirror journalist about a story today in the Leicester Mercury headlined Leicester MP Patricia Hewitt urged not to accept a 'golden goodbye' asking for confirmation that I thought Patricia Hewitt should forego her entitlement to a, golden goodbye, or resettlement grant when she steps down from the House of Commons in a few weeks time.
It's an old journalistic trick. Make an inference from a general statement. I did not name any particular individual. But I stand by every word which I am quoted as saying.
Mr Kenyon said: "There is a case for any member of any party that doesn't have a genuine need to voluntarily forgo the grant. "For an MP stepping down at the next election who already has employment or the means of surviving promptly, it would be outrageous for them to claim it, particularly in the light of how the public now sees MPs. If it requires intervention to that end from the Parliamentary Standards Authority, then I would wholeheartedly support that."
While it is likely to arouse public interest, perhaps the Daily Mirror should run a Roll of Honour for all 'retiring' MPs who volunteer to forego their entitlement to a golden goodbye?