Whilst I agree entirely that the 'fiddling' is outrageous in some cases, soon it's going to end up only people with private incomes being able to be MPs which is not an awfully good idea.

Also a lot of people seem to be outraged not because it is wrong to 'fiddle' expenses but because they can't 'fiddle' their expenses in the same way....

Cable came out of the expenses farrago pretty well IIRC - eg hadn't been claiming for his second home, had been publishing all his expenses online for a few years beforehand. The LibDems as a party were ahead of the curve on this issue - I don't think any of them suffered major embarrassment from it.

Actually, for all the good that Heather Brooke and the Telegraph did on expenses, it is very unfair that the public now feels that every single MP is on the fiddle (I know this isn't what you are saying, Mavis, but I think a lot of voters feel like this now). There should have been a second wave of publicity for, say, the top 100 MPs whose expenses claims were absolutely unimpeachable. I remember reading that Ed Miliband, for example - whose constituency is in the north-west of England - had been claiming only for a completely standard two-up-two-down terraced house.

I am sure it is.

I have lost respect for the whole lot of mps given the expenses debacle.

The only one I have respect for is Vince Cable,who seems to have talked a lot of sense throughout the economic crisis.(Policywonk,I am sure you are now going to tell me he fiddled his expenses or something).Actually I do have respect for all of the mps who were honest re expenses,of which I am sure there are a few.

God yes, that level of responsibility would have me gibbering. I didn't even like being co-chair of an infant school PTA

That's interesting Policywonk (name changer from someone who said she appeared unintelligent). I do know really she isn't at all stupid, far from it I am sure, but she really doesn't come over as particularly intelligent (I always think it must be horrendous in reality to be Home Secretary or whatever, unless you enjoy the 'power' which I imagine most MPs do).

Oh yes,not violent but she would go in my Room 101 alongside the aforementioned Kelly and Ed "appropriately named" Balls.

ok. subservient to the party machine. AND incredibly clumsy in terms of self expression. and VERY daily mail. yuck.

I always feel bound to point out on these threads that JS did some v good stuff as HS, particularly on feminist issues (measures to address trafficking of women, tightening up the law around lap-dancing clubs, proposals to alter the law around prostitution to criminalise the punters rather than the prostitutes, schemes to address domestic violence).

Not to deny all the rubbish stuff she did, especially around civil liberties, but she wasn't all bad by any means IMO.

Also, WRT intelligence - I've met a couple of cabinet ministers and my overwhelming impression of both of them was that they were seriously clever. I don't believe that someone holding a top cabinet post could possibly be stupid. Bad at PR, or subservient to the party machine, sure - but not thick.

She is totally totally annoying.

Agree it is not a party thing, there are plenty of tories I can't stand.

agree that ruth kellys oddness (and very dodgy religious views) look likeable in the face of jacqui smith. she can't be that thick but god she really really seems it!

i've voted labour myself so it's not a party thing here. it's personal!