Expenses Redaction Causes Offense

After six weeks of daily revelations made in the national press Parliament has finally published the expenses submitted by MPs.

Well, almost.

Mark Reckons pities the metaphorically 'poor' people who attempt to wade through the masses of black ink, as the struggle against such institutionalised censorship would send most people "a bit peculiar!"

The normally equanimious Paul Walter is furious that the effort to cover up the scale of our elected officials theft from us has cost an estimated £2m - yes, even with sterling falling and inflation having slashed the purchasing power of the pound in our pockets that's still a lot of money to the majority (though clearly not to most MPs, who are not only millionaires in a private capacity but are subsidised by every last single one of their ordinary constituents).

Meanwhile Wokingham MP John Redwood says "people want an institution which does more, costs less, and is more open", but expresses his frustration that there is no formalised opportunity for parliamentarians to hold Parliament to account.

All three seem united in agreement that this episode continues to tarnish the name of our democracy.

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Update: Howards Thomas takes his cue to give unflinching praise to the press, which is not surprising considering his links to them. Well, the Post does need all the help they can get at the moment!