Past times have taught us there is something evil and rotten with governments who shroud themselves in secrecy.

And it would seem the shifty merchants of greed at Westminster last year abandoned any pretence of high standards of office in their failed attempt to keep their perks and dodgy expenses secret, and now we can see why.

These MPs and so-called Honourable Members – puff themselves up as standard-bearers of decency and trust when strutting the world stage, talking about hope and decency in public life when introducing their theme of democracy and open government in far away places, yet decide differently with their own electorate, who they treat with contempt and indifference.

Many in Britain today are jobless and suffering serious financial hardship, while these spivs and bootfillers are wangling iffy claims on their expense accounts, which they would like to hide from us, for reasons which are now obvious, and what is even more disgusting is seeing our so-called leaders in high government office, on the make, and getting away with it.

But the really sad thing about all these MPs fiddling their expenses is the poor impression it leaves with the many hard-working decent taxpayers picking up the tab for these crooks. Our young people, who should regard MPs as people of principle, and someone to look up to, yet see them as just another Del-Boy in pinstripes.

What mugs they must take us for.

Gerald Gannaway, Knowle Park, Bristol.

● David Cameron is calling for an early General Election to clear up the MPs' allowances scandal. Just a minute.

The Conservatives are as culpable as Labour, if not more so, since they set up the system of allowances in the first place.

Of course they seem think that it is their right by birth to use our taxes to maintain their tennis courts and drain their moats; rather than on the more mundane purchase of property which Labour went in for.

Robert Craig, address supplied.

● ODE TO AN MP

Why do they want to be MPs?

it isn't for you, and it isn't for me

it's because they want to cash in on the freebies

we pay our taxes to help them live

in the luxury we provide them with

E.W. address supplied.