Gordon Brown held a press conference yesterday in which he laid out plans for reforming the MP expenses system.

He said that while there is an urgent need to 'restore parliamentary trust', it would not be achievable overnight, although immediate changes would be made to reassure the public. "Westminster cannot operate like some gentleman's club where members make up the rules and operate among themselves", he admitted.

Brown also announced that a 'tightening of expense rules' would be effective immediately and all MPs' claims over the last few years would be rescrutinised by an independent review panel.

Under the new rules, he said all claims must be accompanied by receipts and incomes from second jobs must be fully accounted for.

The prime minister also stressed the need for "a switch from self regulation to independent external regulation", and said that reforms were needed to "increase accountability, devolve power and open up government in Britian".

With summer recess just around the corner, Brown was also keen for MPs to try and restore the public's faith in parliament: "The best antidote to public cynicism is for MPs to get out into the community and hold themselves to account".

For a summary of the key interim measures introduced, click here [1].