Ordure, Ordure

Speaker Martin has never struck me as the sharpest tool in the box, but he seemed a fairly harmless, genial old buffer. The ugly derision from Tory Toffs ("Gorbals Mick") earned him some sympathy. But he is certainly aboard the gravy train. Of course, its not corruption of Italian proportions; and the sums of money involve pale into insignificance when compared to the zillions wasted on PFI and consultancy scams and failed IT projects. Even so. Over six years he claimed £75,000 in expenses for his house in his constituency even though it has no mortgage. His wife spent £4000 on taxis cruising around London shopping. His salary is £138,000 and one would have thought you could afford a taxi fare out of that. It seems it is all part of a broader pattern of dodgy expenses used to push up the MP's salaries. No wonder the public holds politicians in such low esteem. Martin Rowson hits the nail on the head.