Our Friend in the West

I've got a bad feeling about next year's election. Between moats, tennis courts and £5000 for Alan Duncan's garden (what's he growing - gold leaf?!) the Tories are no longer succeeding in their quest to be portray themselves as the party of the people - more like the party that never ends. Although perhaps chucking out time is in sight?

Even the Welsh contingent are at it. There may not be many of them (three at the last count) but our Tory friend down in Preseli Pembrokeshire, Stephen Crabb MP, is in trouble for claiming £9,300 in stamp duty and "flipping" between his home in Pembrokeshire and his flat in London (which incidentally he refurbished with taxpayers' money and then sold for £8000 profit...).

What I don't understand is why every MP in trouble seriously thinks the stock answer "it was within the rules" is going to help them dig their way out of this ever deepening hole. It just displays a total lack of inability on the part of MPs to display any kind of principle or moral thinking. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. I could eat my weight in chocolate. Doesn't mean I should.