And still the excuses pour forth

After a fortnight out of the UK I return to find that the MPs expenses revelations are still dominating the political agenda.

What I cannot fathom is why MPs still do not understand what it is that they have done wrong. If they did they would act premptively to review past expenses and repay excessive or dubious claims before the Daily Telegraph outs them. But, no, they are sitting like rabbits in the headlights waiting for the inevitable.

Polls showing how little trust there is for politicians and the political system come as no surprise. MPs have for years lived in a parallel universe believing that they are playing an important role in British life whereas in fact they have allowed the whole process to become corrupted. The huge payroll vote, coupled with those members desperate to curry favour, means that Governments are virtually undefeatable. The Commons has allowed itself to lose all capability to act as a check on the executive.

As a result it is the Lords (now a body whose composition defies any coherent explanation) that provides the only serious debate on issues of significance and effective review of legislation.

Politicians have nobody to blame for this situation - it is entirely of their making.