It's not an easy time to be an MP, but why should it be? Some of the expense claims made by my parliamentary colleagues are totally without justification and show just how out of touch they are with ordinary people.

I have disclosed my own expenses and I'm happy to explain my use of public money to help me do my job as MP for Portsmouth North. But contrary to the headline in this newspaper that "I deserve every penny" (I did not say this) I believe it isn't for me to judge what I do and do not deserve.

That gives us a starting point to get out of these difficulties. MPs should not decide their own pay and expenses system. Most MPs never wanted to do this anyway.  We also need strong measures to restore people's faith in the system.  We need a system that recognises the work that MPs do and the fact they need to live in two places at once, but this needs to be acceptable to the public purse and public opinion. I have posted a week's detailed diary on my website www.sarahmccarthy-fry.com so that constituents can see what my job entails. I have also posted my current month's expense claims and will do so every month.

But this is just the start, we must get rid of those who have committed the worst abuses and look at more radical measures - some ideas already suggested include electoral reform, more power to parliamentary select committees, devolving decisions to local institutions and House of Lords reform.

Some are suggesting an early general election. My view is that we've got to put these things right first and it's also important that we allow time for each of the political parties to properly set out their stalls ahead of the election. What would the Conservatives do on the economy, on health and on education? Despite the furore over expenses, which must and will be dealt with quickly, people have a right to know where all the political parties stand on the long term future of our country.