Career-ending receipts

Over at Boulton and Co, Joey Jones points out that many in Westminster think that the publications of the 2005 to 2008 expense receipts will be career-ending for some MPs. A senior Tory MP tells Jones that six or so will have to step down because of it. The other day a campaigner involved in this issue, remarked to me that he thought the number who would have their careers effectively ended would be far higher. He was speculating about 40 or so MPs choosing not to stand at the next election because of the backlash that will follow publication.

The word is that the MPs discredited by disclosure will be spread across both parties. The Tories will find their own sleaze in the headline again. There is, though, a sliver lining, for Cameron. It is rumoured that those Tories who will be most embarrassed by all this will be of an older, non-Cameroon vintage.