It used to be said that patriotism was the last refuge of the scoundrel. In these days of political correctness this strikes me as a saying in need of an update.

It would be more accurate to say that blaming the media is the last refuge of the scoundrel.

One has to think only of disgraced former MP Jonathan Aitken and his trusty sword of truth. Shortly after he promised to wield it, we learnt he was the one telling lies rather than the Press. He was jailed for perjury.

Jeffrey Archer, another former MP, was also jailed for perjury having lied during a libel case against two newspapers.

And let's not even begin to examine the record of Robert Maxwell, another former MP who died before the true extent of his costly deceit came to light. Any newspaper that tried to shed light on his methods found itself on the end of expensive legal proceedings.

Now we have another MP whose words have raised in me suspicions that I would never have entertained had he kept his counsel.

I do not mean to imply that he has done anything wrong. Far from it.

This particular MP seems to me to spend less than many of his colleagues.

It is just that I now find it hard not to entertain what I am sure are wholly misplaced doubts.

The MP is Des Turner, who has represented Brighton Kemptown since 1997.

He said in the Commons on Thursday: "I think we are all probably heartily sick of the press attention being given to our expenses, and particularly of the impression given in much of the media that all this money is for our own personal benefit.

"We all know it is not and our staff allowances in particular are absolutely essential if we are to provide the proper service that our constituents look to us to provide."

What is troubling is that the only criticism I have seen or heard in the media about staff allowances relate to Members of Parliament paying members of their families. In particular the criticisms relate to Derek Conway, an MP who lives in the Horsham area, who paid his son £40,000 to be a researcher while he was in fact a university student many miles away.

Dr Turner's remarks came immediately after the revelation that MPs claim many thousands of pounds in furnishing their taxpayer-funded second homes. Many people in this country have to work away from home but are not permitted this sort of allowance.

The impression - and I suspect it is a correct one - is that MPs treat themselves as special cases in approving for themselves these sorts of expenses and allowances.

At least Stuart Bell, a fellow MP, had the good grace to admit: "The whole business of allowances has to be looked at. It's not acceptable."

Because much of the £200,000-plus a year MPs can claim in pay and expenses - before travel and pension costs - is for their own benefit, contrary to the impression Dr Turner tries to give. A hefty chunk is for staff but a hefty chunk is not.

Dr Turner may be more conscientious with taxpayers' money than some but he is still aboard a parliamentary gravy train and seems some way off the track taken by mere voters.

Perhaps it is just as well that he will not be contesting his £61,820-ayear seat at the next election. And perhaps he should focus his criticisms on those among his colleagues who bring the system into disrepute rather than blaming the Press which, if anything, ought to be more vocal about our increasingly out-oftouch representatives.

  • W Stead, London Road, Brighton

What crass remarks from Des Turner in the House of Commons this week. He may well be heartily sick of the press attention being given to MPs' expenses, but I don't think there's been enough.

As a Labour voter I feel ashamed that a member of the party I support can be so far from understanding the anger felt by the public about politicians' snouts in the trough.

Labour used to attack fat cat businessmen.

Now they emulate them.

Reducing the amount that can be claimed without a receipt from £250 to £25 is a start. I can't believe it would satisfy Revenue and Customs in any other walk of life - at the insistence of MPs and civil servants - because they're the ones who set the rules.

They are becoming more like biblical Pharisees and Sadducees every day as they pass onerous laws on the public and exempt themselves.

There needs to be more scrutiny of MPs and their pay and expenses, not less.

Mr Turner whines that "the impression given in much of the media is that all this money is for our own personal benefit".

It is MPs themselves who give this impression. The media merely shine a light on their behaviour and long may they continue to do so.

  • Graham Smith, Mile Oak Road, Portslade

Multiplying 646 MPs by £23,000 comes to almost £15 million - for kitchens and the like - and then there's the rest of the so-called gravy train perks.

It is disgusting, immoral and insensitive when the British people are being bled dry.

MPs do not deserve all this, especially their "John Lewis debit cards". It is corruption of public money to me.

I wish I had £10,000 to spend on a kitchen but that's not the issue here.

It is the fact that the gravy train is on the back of a good salary.

It's no wonder MPs are out of touch with reality and the pain the country is going through. This is sleaze of the highest order.

  • Jim Evans, Montague Place, Brighton