Jeremy Nixon ponders the trickle-down effect of the MPs’ expenses scandal
When The Daily Telegraph started publishing details of MP expenses claims in May, few would have predicted the impact the story has had. The tally of resignations and MPs announcing that they will not be standing at the forthcoming election continues to rise, the main political parties haemorrhaged votes to smaller fringe parties at the local and European elections and the furore is likely to continue well after MPs depart for their summer break.
The scandal has also arisen as GB Plc suffers what we are told is the biggest drop in output since the end of World War II. Businesses in all sectors are looking at ways to cut costs to survive these lean times. As well as measures such as effecting redundancies, imposing short time working and seeking to agree wage reductions, the scandal around Westminster is bound to ensure that the spotlight also falls on what firms allow by way of expenses.
Winging it
Judging by the recent
