THE public is reacting with justifiable anger to revelations about Government ministers and MPs’ extravagant expenses claims. How long before there is an outcry for a huge reduction of the expense of running Parliament itself?

The usefulness of so many MPs who now seem to attend Parliament just to rubber-stamp the party line, rather than represent their constituents’ wishes, must be questioned eventually.

As democracy is being eroded, many important issues are not even debated in the House of Commons. We then have the final insult – that at least 70 per cent of our rules and regulations are inspired by that mother and father of democracy, the European Union.

In fact, as we now learn that EU thinking and its fanciful climate change dictats influenced the vastly unpopular decision to dump Scarlet Band for the less satisfactory Arriva as the Durham park-and ride operator, one wonders if there is anything worthwhile left for the British Parliament to decide.

This latest scandal is just another example of the contempt for the electorate shown by our honourable friends, which is now matched by our lack of faith in them.

It seems an appropriate time to insist on an overhaul of this expensive, wasteful set-up.

John Heslop, Gainford, near Darlington.