MPs for hire

Such a reaction is entirely reasonable. The allegations that former Cabinet Ministers Stephen Byers, Geoff Hoon and Patricia Hewitt offered themselves for lobbying work at rates of thousands of pounds per day bring yet more opprobrium on a Parliament which has already seen its reputation shredded by the expenses scandal.

For three politicians who were at the heart of New Labour, which once aspired to be "whiter than white", to have been caught up in this latest imbroglio is extraordinary. It is also very foolish, as their subsequent statements of denial and clarification show.

The sad consequence is that with Britain facing major decisions over how to sustain its economic recovery, and the opinion polls increasingly tight, more people could be put off from voting.

Democracy has been undermined by all the major parties. The sooner the election takes place the better. It is time that MPs who have failed their constituents head off into the sunset – and preferably not by taxi.