Expense Claims Proving Expensive for UK Parliament

The Expense Claims fiasco is proving expensive for the basic credibility of Parliament in the eyes of ordinary men and women in the UK.

What seemed like everyday parliamentary rough and tumble now looks like something alot more serious. The integrity of a significant number of MPs is bringing the reputation of the whole institution into question.Communities Secretary Hazel Blears is merely the latest example

How gullible are those MPs who claim they were operating within the rules? Surely these people are sent by us to Parliament to critically appraise all parliamentary processes on our behalf and change things if they are no good. They are not sent there to play the system and feather their own nests.

Have we got a bunch of self-interested single loop thinkers running the country? Its beginning to look like it. I thought that the so called 'Westminster Bubble' was about the self-referencing conversations between MPs and the media, it is clear now that this bubble isolates MPs from the very people they are meant to serve. How could they be so out of touch with the Zeitgeist of the moment, to think that they could behave as they do when ordinary people are loosing their jobs?

We have been here before! April 20th 1653 to be precise. What goes around comes around.

"It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.

Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you? Is there one vice you do not possess? Ye have no more religion than my horse; gold is your God; which of you have not barter'd your conscience for bribes? Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the Commonwealth?

Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defil'd this sacred place, and turn'd the Lord's temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices? Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress'd, are yourselves gone! So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors.

In the name of God, go!"

Oliver Cromwell.

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