We are not worthy!

Yesterday as I navigated my way to London Waterloo’s platform 6 for the 15:45 Woking express, I had just enough time to snatch a free bag of Fridge Raiders from an attractive but curiously leather-clad marketing lady attempting to off-load her stocks onto London's hungry commuters. My unexpected gift turned out to be a tandoori flavoured chicken based snack that was the perfect companion for a short ride out to the Surrey suburbs.

It is one thing enjoying a free gift at the expense of a business hoping to woo my taste buds into becoming a regular customer, but can we continue to be so tolerant with government ministers who treat taxpayer's money as a sink fund for their domestic expenses?

My flat currently has a plumbing emergency so I am going through the painful task of hunting for a reliable individual who will not replace the whole boiler when only a washer is required. Even if I do find an honest tradesman, I will still have to pay VAT on top of his charges. It is a devastating attack on my sensibilities to know that these and other tax contributions enter a bottomless pit that regurgitates the money as second home allowances for politicians who would otherwise have to commute 39 miles following a tough day of submitting expense receipts at Westminster.

If a few back bench members were twisting the rules a little to help them pay for the ever increasing council taxes that have contributed to the 106,544 personal insolvencies in Britain this year, so be it! But when we find out this scam is being perpetrated by those in the highest echelons of power, how can we take seriously the delusional U Tube mutterings of a leader who preaches to us about immoral bankers?

The Prime Minister certainly leads by example though. Not content with his grace-and-favour apartment inside Number 10, he has claimed more than £17000 pounds in second home expenses. We are then told that his brother has been paid £6000 for cleaning services. Yes, Gordon is a scruffy looking man who seems to make a mess where ever he treads, but are we convinced Andrew, the director of corporate communications at French energy giant EDF, is so lacking in remuneration that he needs to top up his salary in such a way? Presumably if Brown the Younger cleans up his older sibling's clutter then he also does his own.

There is a common theme emerging in clan Brown. Lots of jobs and lots of houses. Do you think the brothers will be willing to share when the rest of us lose ours?