New rules, old tricks

This generation of politicians really should have studied the expenses scandal closely: many of them were elected in the wake of it, filling the empty shoes of men and women who stepped down or even went to prison. And yet the political class never seems to learn. Today, we report that some MPS have been claiming thousands in taxpayers’ money for “dependent” children who are either adults, do not regularly stay with them or otherwise should not qualify for extra cash.

This comes on the back of our reporting that 377 MPS have had their official credit cards suspended for breaking the rules on expenses – a number that includes nine Cabinet ministers and Jeremy Corbyn.

Claire Perry, to give one example, wrongly used her parliamentary credit card to pay for her Amazon Prime subscription. Today, we report that Ms Perry also claims an uplift to her accommodation budget for the cost of her children, even though one of them is 22.

The expenses rules may have changed, but MPS are still being accused of breaking them and efforts are still being made to try to limit the information available to the public. It is clearly going to take a long time to remake the culture in Westminster. This newspaper will steadfastly publish whatever it discovers without fear or favour – because that is our job and our responsibility to our readers. Politicians are elected to represent; journalists are there to scrutinise.

Politicians who complain about this would be wise to remember the advice of Lord Tebbit: if you wouldn’t be happy to read something about yourself on the front pages, don’t do it.