Nothing is fair in the expenses scandal

MPs are angry and some are considering legal action because Sir Thomas Legg has applied retrospective limits on the amounts that MPs can claim for their second home. The problem is that the MPs had no limits and it was their scheme. They have to take responsibility for an inadequate method of dealing with allowances.

It must have seemed strange to MPs who were new to allowances. "So I can buy a new sink? Any sink? At any price?" Who checked on the need for a new sink in the first place? Without limits there is no reason why any request would not receive payment. It was a ludicrous system and you can't help think that it is part of a gravy train.

Ann Widdecombe said she thought Sir Thomas's requests were legally questionable. The problem is that the whole process is morally questionable and this is claer to the public. The reason why the scandal is dragging on and undermining our political system is because the politicians want it to drag on. They may think that the rules have unfairly changed but there was nothing fair about it in the first place. The sooner they realise it the better.

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