The damp squid or should we care?

Yesterday's revelations on the expense claims of 16 prominet politicains turned out to be rather a damp squid.

As Michael White writes in the Guardian

No illegality or scandal was exposed when the Speaker, Michael Martin, bowed to the information commissioner's ruling that it would be wrong to withhold them.

So should be worried that our politicians get their sky subscription for free?

Well the Express reports on its front page that it is

the shocking scale of how senior MPs stuff their pockets with your money was published for the first time.

and the Mail says

Peter Hoskin over at Coffee House takes a more philosophical view

Despite the lack of Derek Conway-style revelations, the release is welcome – if only because it’s one in the eye for Michael Martin. But – for good or ill – things still aren’t as transparent as they could be. Martin continues to fight against the release of “receipt-by-receipt” breakdowns; a battle that will be adjudicated in the High Court. Hopefully it will be resolved by the time all MPs’ expenses claims are released in October.

The figures raise awkward questions for the party leaders and will intensify pressure for sweeping reform of the way MPs pay themselves