"The creation of some of the allowances had a legitimate purpose, and teh use of them for that purpose is right. For example an MP would be reduced in the work done for constituents without an office and staff."

No-one would argue with that, Richard, but much of what's gone on goes way beyond that. Some of it is **only** morally reprehensible, but there's a substantial proportion that, should you or I behave in a similar fashion in our employment, would put us out of a job and into the dock in very quick order.

What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. We'd get nicked, so should those greedy thieving bastards.

And if I see one more crocodile tear running down the face of one of those pieces of excrement, I'll throw a brick through the f***in' telly.