One might wonder why our absent-minded politicians get a free four-course meal with wine and champagne (financial contributor unknown) with the Queen (and her French counterpart President Sarkozy, who actually does something, with his beautiful wife), and up to £750 for a free TV without even having to declare their expenses.

Gordon Brown softened it all up as usual:

Most people who enter public life are doing it for the best of reasons, they want to help people, but where people are making mistakes and there are abuses they have got to be rooted out.

Doesn't "public life" entail total public transparency where relevant? Where expenses are provided by the public whom these people are supposed to serve? Nick Clegg is right:

Delaying publication of MPs' expenses is a "hammer blow" to public confidence in the Commons.

But frak confidence, it's not about confidence. It's about what is just, true and correct and these days I struggle to see anything just, true or correct about our leadership.

I mean, Gordon Brown got lost at the Queen's state dinner for frak's sake.

Meanwhile, you really do have to love the French. Sarkozy becomes President and within a couple of years he's got a stunning Italian model (now that is a first lady) posing on the steps of No 10 alongside some typically ugly British politicians. Lovely.