MPs need the shake-up, not their expenses

Frankly, I think what Jacqui Smith's husband watched is almost totally irrelevant. What I want to know is why does an MP even think that they can submit a Sky TV bill as a Parliamentary expense? It almost beggars belief. This might seem small fry against the huge amounts claimed for so-called second homes that are often totally unnecessary but it really does expose just how totally divorced most MPs are from the rest of us. As much as I respect many MPs I deal with, I do think that we have a real problem with the type of people who are elected to Parliament. We need a massive change of personnel at Westminster, not just an overhaul of the expenses system. A huge reduction in the number of MPs to around 450 should be a key objective of a complete review of Parliament, its role in the 21st century, the way it works and the way it and its occupants are managed.

Anything less and we will quickly reach a state of total alienation between Parliament and the people it is meant to represent.