AS said in the your Comment column (Echo, May 25), we need to have a sense of perspective about MPs’ expenses claims and see them against the more expensive abuses of the banking system.

I note that the Government has taken action over the banks, but we do not know if that action has been correct or enough.

We do know that money has been used to bolster the industry to prevent its collapse, but we do not know if we will get it back and how soon. It seems we are going to be confronted with a mixture of higher taxation and a reduction of public expenditure.

This may already be unavoidable.

I want to see the Government explain what it has done and to hear what the Opposition would have done confronted with the same consequences, so we can decide which has the ability to lead the country in the future.

It is urgent that MPs who have abused the expenses system are weeded out, because what we need in future is a combination of competence by people in Government who we can trust.

If Gordon Brown is delaying the time when he calls a General Election he will lose even the credibility he still has.

Geoffrey Bulmer, Billingham.