The MPs’ expenses scandal has been a devastating distracttion. It has been an essential process. But it is a distraction all the same. How many times have commentators now said the country is now facing a political crisis to match the economic crisis? This is not the whole story. The economic situation means that people’s anger about the venal behaviour of their MPs is intensified to the point of fury. But the MPs’ scandal is just a sideshow to the main problem, which is a serious political vacuum at the top of British politics.
No one is now listening to Gordon Brown any more. His position has become absurd. He can’t seriously expect us to believe he will deliver on constitutional reform now when this was supposed to be the keystone of his policy when he took over from Tony Blair two years ago. This is borderline delusional just as it was when he tried to have us believe he had been arguing for reform of the international financial institutions before the collapse of the world economy.
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