OF all the North-East’s MPs, Ashok Kumar is one of the most assiduous and thoughtful. He cares very deeply about his constituency of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, is very well thought of within that constituency, and The Northern Echo has enjoyed a close working relationship with him.

Yet his expenses claims – which can now be viewed online by anyone – show that he is in a unusual position.

He owns two flats in London, a friend living rent-free in one while Dr Kumar claims taxpayers’ assistance to live in the other.

MPs – particularly those from the North-East – do need accommodation in London, and the taxpayer should not begrudge assisting them to live comfortably.

But how come two flats? It is a reasonable question, given the taxpayer has assisted with both of them, and without qualm or any attempt at concealment, Dr Kumar has given a robust explanation.

It should be stressed there is no question of any impropriety or profiteering on Dr Kumar’s part. This is not a scandal. But it is a highly unusual position.

Indeed, Dr Kumar is probably a victim in all this, a victim of a lax and lousy system which has actively encouraged MPs not to ask: “How does this arrangement look to outsiders?”

Because of that system, public perception is that all MPs are just in it for themselves. In a bid to improve the perception, the uncomfortable light of transparency is being shone into MPs’ affairs.

The sad truth is that the anger and cynicism created by a few MPs’ outrageous abuses is now so great that other MPs can no longer make genuine mistakes or even just get themselves in a bit of a tangle.