I share the sense of disgust Simon Heffer registers with regard to the decison taken in the House of Commons when  MP’s voted themselves another £6.5 million a year, or £10,000 each, to promote themselves!

"To their credit, the Tories, almost to a man, voted against this disgusting waste. The extra cash is to be used to enable the mental porridge on the Labour benches to build exciting websites, or do mailshots, telling their constituents (and anyone else who happens to be passing) how wonderful they are.  I do not ask why MPs are so obsessed with their image, because I know the answer: they have little or nothing else to do, they like to boost what they think are their means of being re-elected because they are otherwise unemployable, and some are so crippled with vanity as to be nearly psychiatric cases. But why on earth should we pay for this lunacy? How many junior doctors can we hire for £6.5 million a year? How many new teachers, or police, or how much better care for the elderly?"

Simon is correct, although his admiration for the Conservatives decision NOT to vote in favour of this extra money is ameliorated by the fact that they will still accept it care of Labour largesse. Maybe the Conservatives could donate it to charity, so ensuring their hands remain clean?