When Mr Blatherskite first took up his quill pen he was sat down by a cross-looking news editor and told the facts of life. Namely how to fill in an expenses form and to make sure that he didn't finish all his work by 6.30 because, after that point, he could claim late working and travel home. It wasn't Mr B he was worried about of course, but himself and the sub-editors waiting for copy who had come to depend on their 'allowances.' Much the same seems to be true of Honourable Members of Parliament who are currently in a complete tizz because they've had to hand over receipts for all the expenses they claim. There was never any intention to disclose whose expenses they were but someone seems to be leaking the details to an eager media, hence the furore over Jacqui Smith and hubby's two porn films. Some excitable MPs are even claiming that this 'mole' is asking up to £300,000 for this juicy information. Well, if this is true, the aforementioned mole had better have covered his or her tracks very cleverly indeed as the hue and cry is audible all over London. When Britain goes to war, as it did in Iraq, under false pretences there's a rumble of discontent among a minority of MPs. When details of visits to the local lap-dancing club or massage parlour are about to be unveiled there's a Parliamentary-wide storm. There's democracy for you!