Snouts in the trough

A DECADE ago, the expenses scandal tsunami crashed down on Parliament. It exposed the greed and arrogance of our political elite – and their flagrant contempt for the public.

Isolated in their ivory towers, MPs convinced themselves it was perfectly acceptable to spend taxpayers’ cash on duck houses, moats and plasma TVs.

A handful were jailed for fraud; hundreds more were forced to repay money after their venality was revealed. To abate public anger, MPs expressed contrition and introduced new rules to prevent such rampant corruption in future. But ten years on, have they learned their lesson? A resounding no.

Nearly two thirds, including that paragon of self-virtue Jeremy Corbyn, have had official credit cards suspended by a watchdog for breaking those same rules.

Some failed to provide receipts, while others did not return ineligible payments – practices which might result in the sack in the private sector. And wouldn’t you know: They tried to cover it up!

What makes such abuses so pathetic is that MPs are well-paid on £79,468 a year – a salary most people can only dream of.

Trust in the political process is already at a dangerously low ebb. Last week, in a howl of anger, voters gave the main parties a bloody nose at the ballot box.

Yet it is still difficult to escape the conclusion MPs don’t really care. As long as their snouts are in the trough, they’ll show two fingers to everybody else.