I've only been away a week... (Part 2)

The discrepancy between how the major parties are handling the expenses fiasco has continued to widen. The Tories are taking decisive action to ensure that at least a portion of the money will be repaid and many of those MPs involved will also be standing down at the next election. David Cameron has also announced that he is reopening the list of candidates for "anyone who wants to apply".

The Lib-Dems are still a long way behind despite Nick Clegg's desire to be seen as running a clean party but they are starting to make some progress with the departure of Chris Rennard. Naturally this is due to his ongoing health issues and not because he's been 'outed' over his finances or his alleged 'inappropriate' behaviour towards female staff at the party's Cowley Street headquarters and female PPCs.

Last of course is Gordo and the Labour leadership who are doing everything they can to protect those who've been 'outed'. With the exception of a few sacrificial scapegoats, they will not be required to make even a token repayment or stand down at the next election.

To make matters worse - if that's even possible at this point - the NEC has 'discretely' warned the chair of certain CLPs that it will not permit the deselection of sitting MPs. That it will exercise it's power to block any alternative candidates and that anyone proposing or supporting such a motion risks expulsion for bringing the party into disrepute.

And to round all this off, the Christian far right in the form of the Christian Party and the Christian Peoples Alliance have launched their European election campaign with a pledge to tackle Britain's "moral malaise". Thereby adding the option of religious fascism to the racist fascism and eco fascism already on offer from the BNP and the Greens.