No expense spared? (From Bournemouth Echo)

No expense spared?

8:00am Friday 5th February 2010 in

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SIR Thomas Legg’s report into MPs’ expenses revealed a “culture of deference” towards them by officials where they expected their claims to be approved without comment.

How ironic, seeing that in the wider world, the result of the revelation last year of MPs’ greedy claims is, sadly, a culture of distrust.

The public was left with a nasty taste in its mouth by the behaviour of too many MPs who milked the public purse for their duckhouses or whatever, while calling each other “Honourable Member” in the House.

Now the final report on the scandal has revealed 390 MPs have been asked to return a total of more than £1million to the taxpayer.

It is pleasing to see that our local MPs have already returned any money they were asked to pay back (with the exception of Jim Knight, whose outstanding balance was £2,185.83).

Gordon Brown said the report was “a significant step forward”. Yes. But it is only the first step in a very long route march needed to restore trust in the political body.

Last year, if British electors had been asked if they would like to see another human put on the moon, they would have said :“Yes. But not one. About 390.”

Now we must see what happens next. Will the arrival of some new MPs at the general election help remove the tarnish?

The late Tony Banks once described a fellow MP as, “Living proof that a pig’s bladder on the end of a stick can be elected for Parliament”.

In some constituencies across the country, electors might vote for a pig’s bladder... if they were sure they could trust it.