The members of parliament accused of falsly claiming expenses are to go to the house of Lords to appeal. A previous court ruling found that protection afforded to MP’s does not cover ordinary criminal activity. The legal team of the MP’s concerned are citing the fact that parliament has its own processes for dealing with such matters, and that no MP has been taken to court in this manner for over 300 years.
The MP’s representatives claim that they are not trying to avoid justice, and seem to imply that it is simply a procedural issue.
I think that most of the country are of the opinion that had these people worked in private industry, then they may well have ended up in court, and that if anything, the standards expected from MP’s are higher than those required of ordinary citizens.
It will be an interesting case to follow, should it actually go to trial and is sure to drag on for some time.