Last updated at 23:53 05 February 2008

A review of MPs' perks and expenses has been condemned as a stitch-up.

The panel picked by Commons Speaker Michael Martin to carry out the investigation is dominated by politicians tainted by sleaze or who have campaigned to keep allowances secret.

Five of the six on the Members' Estimates Committee have been embroiled in controversy, while three voted against opening up to scrutiny the payment of taxpayers' money for MPs' homes, travel and office costs.

Critics claimed the decision - backed by Gordon Brown - to appoint Commons "grandees" was simply intended to take the heat out of the expenses scandal.

They said the cross-party committee's decision not to report on the future of allowances until the autumn gave the impression the issue was being kicked into the long grass.

The Estimates Committee, however, insisted it needed time to come up with "genuinely openminded and radical" proposals.

The six members on the review are Speaker Martin, Harriet Harman, Theresa May, David Maclean, Sir Stuart Bell and Nick Harvey.

Only Mrs May has not been implicated in concerns over her financial affairs.

As members of the House of Commons Commission, which runs Parliament, all were involved in the decision to battle Freedom of Information rulings to publish how much they spend on transport.

Speaker Martin, a Labour MP, has been described as the greatest obstacle to full disclosure of MPs' financial arrangements.

He has helped block the release of detailed records about expenses.

Mr Martin, 62, has claimed more than £75,000 for overnight stays away from his main residence.

Last year he claimed £13,925 in travel expenses, including £10,587 on air fares.

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His wife has claimed £23,885 in four years.

Tory MP Mr Maclean, who once used £3,300 of Commons money to buy a quad bike, led an MPs' campaign to have Parliament exempted from the Freedom of Information Act.

Labour MP Sir Stuart, who employs his wife at taxpayers' expense, faced embarrassment in 2001 when his son stole cheques from another MP's office while working as a researcher.

Leader of the Commons Miss Harman was recently embroiled in the "dodgy donations" scandal, after it emerged she received £5,000 from tycoon David Abrahams paid using a middleman to keep his identity under wraps.

Labour MP Alan Simpson said the committee would have to address "a huge level of public cynicism".

Simon Hughes, a Lib-Dem frontbencher, also suggested the final decision on expenses should be made by an independent body.