Of course Gallic expenses scandals are saucier than here in Blighty
The French are so much more glamorous than us. Even their expenses scandals are sexier.
Here in dowdy old Blighty, MPS were caught claiming for such things as moatcleaning, wisteriaremoval and other drab chores.
In France, by contrast, they claim for sexy underwear.
Coralie Dubost, a 39-year-old MP for Emmanuel Macron’s party, has just resigned after it was found that she’d spent €2,000 (£1,690) of taxpayers’ money on lingerie (among other clothing). Frankly, I was shocked but not because she’d put her lingerie on expenses. I was shocked because she’d resigned.
After all, this is France, for pity’s sake. A country with sex on the brain – and proud of it. I would never have expected a French MP to be forced out for buying saucy knickers. I would expect French MPS to have an official, state-funded lingerie allowance.
A monthly G-string budget. And not just for female MPS. Think of the countless mistresses that France’s male MPS must have to provide for.
It seems, however, that I was wrong. The French have become as prudish as we are.
In last month’s presidential election, the far-right candidate, Eric Zemmour, warned voters that they were witnessing “the death of France as we know it”. I’m starting to think he was right.