IT is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place, which you have dishonored by your contempt of all virtue, and defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches, and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money... Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress’d, are yourselves gone!”

This is an extract from Oliver Cromwell’s speech to Parliament in 1653.

So nothing new there then.

Robin Rutherford, Darlington.

IF a criminal investigation into MPs’ expenses results in criminal prosecutions, will MPs be able to designate their prison cell as their main residence?

CT Riley, Spennymoor, Co Durham.