If not, let us do so forthwith.
Firstly, I am sure that there will be filth and corruption aplenty on all sides. That much is pretty certain. However, for now, we have a few choice nuggets to work on;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8039273.stm
This is one story that will develop, I am sure.
MP's at work completing their expenses claim forms 
I remain to be convinced that there is anything much to care about here.
I don't really understand why there is a salary plus expenses, presumably someone once imagined that many MPs wouldn't claim as much as was technically possible. That appears to have been optimistic...
The sums involved are not very great, either in the grand scheme of things or in absolute terms. The chap who accidentally put in a claim for a £19.99 bathrobe from Ikea, for example. Is it worse that we accidentally paid for the wretched bathrobe, or that dozens of hours of these people's time will henceforward be spent combing their expenses claims for potentially embarrassing items?
This story will run and run, because we are (as a country) fairly bored with Westminster and our tolerance levels for anyone except ghurkas, nurses and us personally being paid anything at all is low. In easier times this story would have no traction at all. It isn't even really "sleaze" for the most part, it isn't corrupt, it doesn't threaten our system of government, it doesn't raise any questions of suignificance over people's judgement, no-one is compromised as a result. It's just a big "aren't these people awful"? story, which is part of the general contempt for our elected representatives that we are venting at present.
Meanwhile, genuinely serious conflicts of interest and massive waste of public money goes on largely unreported outsider the pages of Private Eye, and in other countries (Italy, say) people look at our wholesome and well-functioning political culture and wonder what on earth all the fuss is about.
remain to be convinced that there is anything much to care about here.
I think the reason to care is to be found in your own post
It's just a big "aren't these people awful"? story, which is part of the general contempt for our elected representatives that we are venting at present.
The previous administration were despatched, in part, due to the contempt we had for their contempt of us. The fact that the current lot are showing the same traits is a big deal to a lot of people and I'm quite happy that, at last, the populace are voicing their displeasure. I agree that there are perhaps larger concerns that need addressing. Sadly, they are beyond the comprehension or interest of most people and those debates will never surface. I think we should be happy when the masses are politicised whatever the issues.
it s the families working for them I have always liked. Seems to me when the tories have a go at the expenses they do it properly - going for hundreds of thousands whereas Labour can't even do it properly - keep getting caught for ridiculous tiny amounts "trying it on" GB £6000 to his brother for cleaning? Probably got his moneys worth Should have been £60 000 for "consultancy services" to do it properly
All rather distasteful and grubby but at least Labour are now shining a few feeble torches round these mucky corners
TJ, it's not Labour shining the torches. They're pedalling like fury to try and "redact" many elements of their claims, which were going to be published as a result of a FOI request. (I forget the name of the girl who did the FOI request, but well done her).
I suspect that the Telegraph will go a bit easier on the Tories but I have no doubt that they are all [politicians] at it, bar a few conscientious types
I take your point trailmonkey, but ultimately it's a rather slight form of "anti-politics". It isn't a party or government issue at all. This "lot" are no better or worse than the previous lot, or indeed probably the lot on the opposition benches. (Derek Conway MP immediately springs to mind). Nothing so far revealed is a sane basis on which to throw a government out of office. And yet so much of what this government has done or failed to do is really serious. If Brown ultimately goes down in history as "the Prime Minister who allegedly claimed twice for the same plumbing work within six months of each other" then we really will have lost a valuable opportunity to have grown-up democratic politics.
I'm as impressed as ever with the Telegraph for rooting out such information. Fair play to it, what a paper I say!!
I wonder if HMRC will look at my expenses in the same light and say that's fine.
Rule 1 - No receipt = No Claim
Rule 2 - See Rule 1
grown-up
BD, you were doing well until this point. It's a phrase that is so often used by Politicians (and I use it as a proper noun deliberately), but is quite meaningless. It's up there with "proper debate", which is usually a Politician's euphemism for "let's put off talking about it until you agree with me".
I understand your view - essentailly, this is a sideshow distracting us from more pressing concerns but, nonetheless, it may have the same effect as if we as a nation had engaged more fully on some more complex moral and social elements of the various New Labour governments' policies since 1997. That effect being the removal of them.
Now, what will we be left with? A moral vacuum, for sure, but that is the trick of our two party system: for so long as there is a distinct them and us, Government and Opposition, then we will continue to be distracted by the petty squabbling. Sadly, though, it suits our national mentality - seething anger and dispropotionate frustration at small things.
So, for me, it is only important because it has become important. It represents the divide between the "ruling classes" and the "ruled". Sure, twas ever thus, but that doesn't mean it ought not to be changed. The trouble is, there is a distinct impression of a "clinging onto power" here, and the role of MPs expenses - and more so gov't minsters - is indicative of this divide.
I don't really understand why there is a salary plus expenses, presumably someone once imagined that many MPs wouldn't claim as much as was technically possible. That appears to have been optimistic...
I think historically the expenses stem from trying to produce a level playing field allowing non-gentlemen ie. men without an independant income to enter politics. I suspect the Telegraph (or certainly some of its more elderly readers) are still furious about this
Convenient that the Labour expenses are revealed in the run up to the local elections.
Sandwich, the increasingly Labour supporting Telegraph will no doubt be releasing the Conservative expenses closer to the elections.......
Sadly, though, it suits our national mentality - seething anger and dispropotionate frustration at small things.
I am angry and frustrated about the big things as well...
So, Barbara Follett, wife of nulti-millionaire author Ken Follett has claimed £25k for 'security'
Now, I know a thing or two about security, and that's NOT value for money.
Especially when Fred Goodwin's security cost something like £200 a month. Although apparently that still didn't stop someone smashing his car's back window.
Margaret Moran, the Labour MP for Luton, spent £22,500 of taxpayers' money treating dry rot at her and her husband's seaside house 100 miles from her constituency – days after switching her "second home" there.
Over four years she also spent thousands of pounds on three separate properties, switching between Westminster, Luton and Southampton and renovating each home in turn.
Worst offender?
All I know is that if I tried to claim 'Accidentally' for a meal twice, for instance, I would seriously risk losing my job and being bunged up in the Glasshouse in Colchester.
MPs should be equally accountable. Pathetic statements like 'the funds were paid back' do not wash.
It's all eerily like Animal Farm, our current Communist Experiment. The Fat Cats who are supposed to be running the show are getting greedy again.
i saw a tv programme by andrew marr a while back it layed the blame on a late 70s labour? govmt when they set their salaries relatively low but quietly slipped in the generous expense system we see before us
partly as said earlier to make it easier for joe bloggs to step up also to keep pace with the emerging corporte sector
us plebs have have been living in bliss until the pesky foi act
media, especially the anachronistic newsrags and the nkotb webloggosphere are whipping this up for all they can
the incumbent mps are flapping like fish repeatin the same old party line, while the opposition are strangely silent...
can you imagine all them mps, of every party, at one of their plush homes unable to sleep trying to remember what they claimed for and when, plus rumours tell of (well the daily mail) marriage wrecking revelations
what a bumch of twunts
oink oink **** oink
i don't see any reason why MP's expenses shouldn't be uploaded immediately to t'internet for public inspection.
"It's all eerily like Animal Farm, our current Communist Experiment."
Communist???
Labour brought in the expenses system, Tory's the second homes allowance, I believe. The alleged reasoning behind both was to bypass the need for a major salary increase for mps when governments were trying to prevent high wage settlements in other sectors. Rather ironically they're still trying to prevent those when it looks like the system has hit the buffers.
In hindsight it was always going to be milked for what it's worth- and to be honest I milk my company's expenses for all they're worth, as does anybody else who can. Obviously it doesn't look good though when you're in 'public service'- I doubt that the label 'altruistic' applies to manhy of our MP's.
I do think that they should have a good salary hike though, in the order of 50%- I think they are rather underpaid, and some method of controlling them introduced to make them more like the employees of the country that they are, rahter than the trustees as most of them insist on portraying themselves.
Thing is they are expenses. They shouldn't be able to profit from them. If they need somewhere to stay, rent a fully furnished appartment. If I travel for work I have to account for every penny. I only claim for what I spend. These ****s are claiming interest payments on the mortgage and then selling the house on at profit. Either that or letting their folks live there.
Shame is a concept that is alien to this bunch of greedy ****s.
Communist???
Konabunny:
The level of govt intrusion into our lives/lack of free speech/Political Correctness/Health and Safety/Nanny State/Euro centric/High Tax/High Government sector job ratio/low productivity/Landowner loathing etc etc etc.
We'll be the Social Democratic Republic of the Scottish Isles (SDRSI) before long at this rate. Chairman Brown et al have us on the ropes.
Certainly by spunking the entire nation's wealth in just over a decade to force us to become a nationalised mess leads one to that conclusion.
I'm genuinely looking at emigration as it's so bad 
Communist???The level of govt intrusion into our lives/lack of free speech/Political Correctness/Health and Safety/Nanny State/Euro centric/High Tax/High Government sector job ratio/low productivity/Landowner loathing etc etc etc.
We'll be the Social Democratic Republic of the Scottish Isles (SDRSI) before long at this rate. Chairman Brown et al have us on the ropes.
Certainly by spunking the entire nation's wealth in just over a decade to force us to become a nationalised mess leads one to that conclusion.
Some impressive trolling going on there. I can't remember the last time I saw so much bollox crammed into so few words. And as someone who deeply appreciates the fine art of p1ss-taking, I have to say that I am hugely impressed and really rather envious 
emigration? apparently you should be considering political asylum!
mikertroid you've gone and upset gg by calling nulabour commies. You should realise they've not gone nearly far enough for gg to honour them with that title.
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