MPs expenses: some MPs still don’t get it

If being brazenly out of touch with the public mood is your idea of being a top-notch MP, it’s time you started singing the praises of Ann Keen, Jacqui Lait and Harry Cohen. For as the Evening Standard reported yesterday:

Five London MPs are refusing to say if they are being asked to repay part of their Commons expenses.

They are Ann and Alan Keen, the couple dubbed Mr and Mrs Expenses, senior Tories Jacqui Lait and Richard Ottaway and Labour’s Harry Cohen…

Mrs Keen told the Standard to “get stuffed” when approached politely at the Commons.

Her husband Alan also declined to answer questions.

The couple claimed between them almost £40,000 for a central London flat even though their “main residence” was just 10 miles from the Commons.

Ms Lait said her letter from Sir Thomas was “a private and confidential matter”.

She over-claimed on her second home mortgage for three years and had to pay back more than £7,000 after it was spotted by the fees office.

Labour MP Mr Cohen also refused to speak. “It’s a private matter,” said his office.

It’s a “private” matter how you’ve spent public money and whether you’ve been asked to repay any of it? Yes…