DESPITE the national outrage over MPs’ expenses, flying undetected under the radar are the MEPs. With a few clicks of the mouse I can find substantial financial information about North-East Liberal Democrat MEP Fiona Hall. As for Conservative MEP Martin Callanan, all seems to be pretty much in order.

Not so Labour MEP Stephen Hughes. Despite The Northern Echo story highlighting Mr Hughes’ peppercorn rent inside Durham County Hall for his office, he refuses to answer specific financial questions.

The same goes for his accountants, the Labour leader in Brussels, Labour’s European General Secretary and the European Parliament in London.

The drawbridge is up and the Metric Martyrs and I have basically been told to stop asking awkward questions.

So, too, Durham County Council, including its Labour leader, Councillor Simon Henig, who have to date failed to respond to Freedom of Information requests regarding financial and administrative questions surrounding the clearly taxpayer-subsidised office inside County Hall.

People have shown through HAS how angry they are with MPs, but this is their money inside County Hall and we all should demand to be told the truth over this.

The European elections will come and go, but the Metric Martyrs and I will not let this case drop.

Jim Tague, Bishop Auckland.

WHILE I agree with most of the comments made about MPs’ expenses, doesn’t it say somewhere in the Bible: “Let him without sin cast the first stone”?

What rep hasn’t fiddled his expenses or worker taken something from his or her place of work?

Then we have those who fiddle benefits and the dole. The creative accountancy on tax returns and even the worker who takes a sickie – it’s all a fiddle.

The mistake MPs made was that they broke the 11th Commandment – Thou shalt not get caught.

P Shoulder, Bishop Auckland.