I expect they just sold to the highest bidder – don’t load your holiness on them to much, they could have been selling military secrets or nuclear secrets to terrorists.

This is all being sold by the papers as a grand shakedown, trouble is, no matter how many times its mentioned that they’ll not ALL involved – how about headlining who ISNT involved please. But thats inconvenient to the story.

The media specialises in knocking Britain and it seeps into society. Not good for us all, not good at all.

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Yes it is a question of ethics but I hardly feel that journalists are the people to do the lecturing!

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Peter,

For goodness sake, the usual silliness which is now obviously becoming an obsession. The Telegraph has got a good story and in the ruthless cut and thrust of journalism, national media and politics, it has decided to exploit the “TRUTH” for all it’s worth. It is reporting facts, not made up fantasy, the MPs concerned have not apologised for nothing neither have they paid back thousands of pounds.
With regard to Tory bias which appears to be your theme this time, yesterday (Sunday), Sky News reported that the telegraph had “outed” 45 Labour MPs who had made dodgy claims, 36 Tories and 11 Lib Dems. If ever an example was needed of what is good for the goose is good for the gander, the Telegraph seems to have it. Now, could we say the same for the Daily Mirror. I do not think so.
For once I can agree with cothercote, the person that divulged this – yes, even for a large backhander deserves a medal. He/she has alerted the country to the whole rotten mess that purports to be our democratic parliament, the mother of all parliaments and the example to the world. Every last one of us should hang our heads in shame and the Speaker should be in the stocks outside parliament for the whole world to see this gross sham and reversal of what is good about our country.
Do not shoot the messenger – shoot those who caused the rules to be flouted.

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Whilst not condoning the actions of the MP’s I find it interesting that it’s been common knowledge for years that politicians fiddle their expenses but only in a recession are we so scandalised by it. If we were not in an economic crisis would we be taking quite so much notice?

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Y Mab, I don’t think the BNP have any credible policies. Their prinipal aim appears to be to try and send people who were born here ‘home’ based upon some sort of colour chart.

It’s in their constitution that effectively no-one with a dark skin can be a candidate or even a member – isn’t that racist enough in itself?

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I also seem to remember that many current MP’s used to be members of anti nuclear groups etc Greenpeace.

Everyone has a past the main issue is depends on if a person learns from the past and past mistakes.

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The letter-writer Peter Sharman says ‘It is not about rules, it is about morals and ethics – and that is where they have shown themselves to be wanting.’

I wholly agree with this.

However, I completely disagree with Elizabeth Lincoln (#15) that discussing the undemocratic BNP is a distraction.

People are rightly concerned about a lack of morals and ethics in Westminster, but it would be a bizarre turn of events if they were to opt for a party whose core ideology is hatred and which could not remotely be described as moral or ethical: the BNP.

Newspaper polls show that some people are seriously considering this.

I would urge all people who wish to prevent this in the next 2 weeks to stand up to them.

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