MPs Expenses

I have been left aghast this week by the idea that some MPs will be challenging Legg's findings. The whole MPs expenses scandal has my blood boiling. The idea that cleaning and gardening costs are allowed to be claimed by MPs at the tax payers expense is outrageous - and this before I even start to think about flipping, capital gains tax, duck houses etc. etc. I know primary teachers who, in order to provide their pupils with decent enough resources for learning activities, will dip into their own pockets and not claim money back because they know their school authority has no money. There is something fundamentally wrong with this situation. I agree with giving politicians a decent wage for the work they do and I am not daft enough to claim that they do not need a London residence. However, new guidelines need to be ensure greater transparency, common sense, morality and, in the current economic climate, an understanding that we are all having to reduce household budgets. Some household budgets need a lot more reduction than others.