David Ruffley MP has this week expressed concern at proposals by the Government to scrap vital protection for local taxpayers from wasteful town halls and 'jobs for the boys' corruption.

The proposals were outlined by Government Ministers in a so-called 'Community Empowerment' White Paper.

In the small print of the White Paper, there are a series of controversial proposals which David opposes:

• Electors are to be given 'incentives' to vote in local elections, such as entry into prize draws or free doughnuts.

• The Government intends to tear up the guidelines which prevent taxpayers' money being spent on partisan propaganda by town halls.

• Ministers want to weaken anti-corruption rules which prevent council officers from being councillors, because so few people want to stand as Labour candidates to stand in local elections.

• Plans for 'remote' voting, councillors will not have to turn up at meetings. They will be able to vote and participate in meetings 'remotely'.

David said:

'I know things are bad for Labour but trying to bribe voters with doughnuts makes politics look ridiculous.

'Councillors in Suffolk have a valued role to play as champions of the local community. However, I am deeply concerned that the Government wants to push through laws that will allow them to bribe their voters, bring back jobs for the boys and slip in back-door state funding.

'If Ministers were genuine about local democracy, they would hand back the powers that unelected regional assemblies and Whitehall quangos have seized from our local councils.

'Unfortunately Gordon Brown is pressing ahead with a barrage of new quangos which will take even more powers away from local communities in Suffolk.'