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So it’s the first day of the new term and every MP is due to receive a letter reviving the whole MPs expenses scandal.

There’s been a build-up over the weekend and clearly some prominent names, including it seems Mr. G. Brown, are going to be told to hand money back.

Now, as several papers are reporting, there are suggestions of a revolt with talk of Sir Thomas Legg’s report being rejected. Just how crazy would that be?

One of the issues, of course, is that a largish contingent of Labour MPs are either stepping down at the election or else expect to be beaten. What’s the point of them not rocking the boat? This is not a group who feel bound by the normal pressures of party discipline.

On the Tory side there’s been anger at what some see as the high-handed approach by the leadership to the whole affair. Will party unity break down there?

There’s talk, also, of MPs hiring lawyers to contest any demands to repay with them saying that they were operating in line with advice at the time from the fees office. How’s that going to go down with voters?

So MPs’ Expenses Scandal 2 could run and run right up to election day.

Mike Smithson