You would be forgiven for believing that UK MPs are exempt from the Prime Ministers claim that the government would not tolerate a system that rewards failure with large pots of cash. Labour Employment Minister, Tony McNulty became the second cabinet minister to be named and shamed for collecting cash benefits relating to his parental home, despite living within a few miles of Westminster himself.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith came under investigation last month after making dubious claims of £12,000 a year for a room at her sisters house.
Now an enquiry is to be made by the governments watchdog committee that will examine the system of allowances paid to MPs. It is backed by Gordon Brown who has also asked that the review look into other issues such as outside interests and second jobs.
Those accused insist that they have done nothing wrong and have acted within parliamentary rules, but there is no rule to say that you should make false claims for expenses that do not exist. As elected members of parliament they should also have the intelligence to understand that what they have done is morally wrong regardless of any precedent.
Now the thick skinned embezzlers are making noises about increasing their income so that they do not need to make up their paltry wages with indecent expenses and allowances. MPs it appears are about as greedy and obnoxious as their bonus seeking financial counterparts and about as successful too.
The message is really quite simple-This country will not tolerate rewards for failure.
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