Should MPs be above the law?

Three of the Labour MPs today charged with alleged theft over fraudulent expenses claims appeared to claim some kind of Parliamentary privilege suggesting that their actions are accountable to the Parliamentary authorities rather than UK law. This is taking the MPs expenses saga down a very difficult and very controversial path when ultimately many people in the UK are dismayed to hear about some of the various expenses which have been paid out to many other MPs as well as the four politicians who have today been charged.

It must also be noted that a Tory party frontbencher, Lord Hanningfield, has also been charged over alleged fraudulent expense claims although he has not been as vocal as the three Labour MPs who issued a joint statement today. This will cause further embarrassment for both the government and the Conservative party on top of yesterday's revelations that many MPs are refusing to pay back part of their expenses which were deemed unacceptable by the Parliamentary body in charge of reviewing expenses.

It would appear that MPs were given the chance to bury this particular saga some months ago but have chosen to take the fight further and with the election looming this may turn out to be a very dangerous option.