LOCAL MP Sir Peter Tapsell has entered the arena to announce that what MPs are claiming as 'expenses' is not wrong.

Maybe it is not wrong in the eyes of the law, and there is no law which prevents abuse of power, privilege and position in claiming these expenses when the country is experiencing its worst economic depression since the 1920s-30s and working folk are being laid off, industry is in decline and firms and businesses are closing down on a daily basis. And people are losing their homes too.

Our troops are undermanned and badly equipped fighting a war that should never have been in the first place and people who are 'fleecing the country' out of thousands, if not millions of taxpayers' money, claim that there is 'nothing wrong' in what they are doing.

Sir Fred Goodwin insists that there is nothing wrong with his £16 million pension with the RBS, which he led to the brink of collapse last year.

If there is nothing wrong with these extravagant claims, why did MPs of all hues try to exempt themselves from the freedom of information requested by Heather Brooke as long ago as 2004. Maybe it is not legally wrong to claim these expenses but it is morally indefensible and those MPs who align themselves behind those who are exposed by this investigation are as bad as those involved in defrauding the taxpayers and electorate of this country.

CP Charlesworth, Southlands Avenue Louth