The Department of Work & Pensions has a slogan: no ifs or buts" - if you are in receipt of public funds, and you fiddle the system, you will go to jail.

The Department of Work & Pensions has a slogan: "no ifs or buts" - if you are in receipt of public funds, and you fiddle the system, you will go to jail.When the government announced plans for identity cards, and the general public were outraged, MPs assured their constituents: "if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear".Surely, as MPs are public servants, the above slogans/rules also apply to them.Members of Parliament are not "above the law" and, whilst they all maintain all their claims are within the law, that does not let them off the hook.If members of the public in receipt of "benefits" stretched the rules, they would be prosecuted. It follows that, if any MP has broken the rules, they should be prosecuted and, if found guilty, should be made to pay back any monies involved.Also, the tax authorities should now "investigate" all MPs who have "flipped" regarding what is their "second home". It should not be up to an MP to decide which residence is their second home - whereby they claim special allowances.A good example, which shows how this is being abused, is a husband and wife team, both MPs and both members of the cabinet, claim for their home in the north, yet they live in London, Monday to Friday, and their children go to school in London.It is now nearly two years since the Conway affair and, basically, nothing has been done to stop MPs "stealing", hard-pressed, constituents money.The Speaker of the House of Commons is responsible for all that happens within the House. He has not only done nothing to stop the rot but has, personally, been involved in the very irregularities he is supposed to control,New rules are required, in what I trust will be a clean up, whereby the Speaker should be appointed for a fixed period - say three years - and which is non-negotiable.The current Speaker has overstayed his welcome and should be dismissed, forthwith.The "Voice of Common Sense" has come from Lord Naseby, who has said: "the very foundations of democracy appear to be in dire trouble". He has called for the Dissolution of Parliament in order to "stop the rot" and start again. Lord Naseby's "wise words" must be listened to, and acted upon, forthwith. Whilst investigating MPs expenses the authorities should also encompass Members of the House of Lords where there are reliable reports of, possible, illegal claims for expensesI am sure I speak for the great British Public when I say we do not wish to hear any more sob stories from MPs that their claim was within the rules. As already stated, if a member of the public stretched the rules - like MPs have done - they would be prosecuted.Every Member of Parliament would do well to remember that we, the punters, elected them to serve us to the best of their ability - not to rip us off".I am an OAP, 73, suffering from cancer, and have cared for my disabled wife for 25 years, and struggling financially so I have no sympathy for MPs. Iain Young Morrison1 ColyvaleCOLYTON