The current expose on MP’s expenses is damaging not to a particular party or all particular parties, but to the idea of government as a whole.

The embarrassing articles written recently in the Daily Telegraph and the stories revealed in other media outlets have target and damaged individuals by revealing the items that they have claimed for. These have ranged from the trivial to the down right ridiculous. The excuse that they are acting within the rules cannot be accepted as appropriate. If these sorts of expenses were claimed by others in the private sector, these people would find themselves out of a job.

The second home allowance is the main area that most MPs claim and is one where there are people just doing it to make money. The idea that someone cannot commute 11 miles to work in the morning and evening, in a city with decent transport links is ridiculous. MPs claiming this is because of the long hours that they are required to work should take a look at some of their constituents. Many people cannot afford to live in London but who are required to commute in on a daily basis, do so for a lot less money.

I believe that the seemingly continuous stream of politions apologies is not ebbing everyone’s unease at the situation, and I believe that a letter from every MP to their constituents outlining the expenses that they have claimed for recently and their reasons behind them should be sent out. This may be an added burden to their already demanding schedule, but if they want to claim these expenses, then surely the public have the right to know about it and to be able to judge them.