In today's Times.
Sir, Rather than query what is or is not allowed in terms of MPs' expenses, the pertinent question may be to ask whether there are any aspects of day-to-day life that MPs actually pay for themselves.
I won't embarrass this fuckwit by naming him (obviously) here. Look it up yourself.
However, the point is that MPs have fallen so far in public esteem that people can get away with this low humour. You can tell it's meant to be humorous by the gratuitous use of the word 'pertinent' - never used in this way outside the broadsheet letter pages.
There is not a single person in the country - or anywhere come to that - who 'actually pays for themselves' in the fatuous sense of this letter. Whether your money is earned, claimed, inherited, won or found under a rock it always comes from someone else. Exactly like MPs' salaries and expenses.
The target here should not be the claimants - a very right wing view, always blame the claimants - but a system which has grown like Topsy. And that is where parliamentarians are justly criticised.
It shouldn't have taken them so long to start to reform a system which, even if it is right, doesn't smell right.
Commenting on the necessary reform would be a better use of the letter writer's ink than the impertinent use of misplaced outrage.
Although it wouldn't be his ink if someone hadn't given him the money which came out of the price I paid for something.
And for those of you want a slightly more thoughful positon than my little rant try Luke Akehurst's piece here.
