The expenses scandal of that year

We're all in this together. Just remember that as you read the front pages and see that  Members of Parliament are now claiming more than they did before the scandal in 2009.We're obviously all tightening our belts but somehow the total cost of travel, accommodation  and running the offices of MPs rose by 10 per cent in 12 months – a record for claims by our  representatives in parliament in a single year.Figures from the expenses watchdog show the overall bill for 2012-13 was ￡98.1m, taking it  above the previous high of ￡95.6m claimed in 2008-09.

The expenses scandal of that year rightly sparked public outrage with the claims for moat  cleaning, duck houses, posh pillows and designer crockery. Many had played the system to get  taxpayer cash for furnishing two homes.After the scandal broke, MPs' claims fell to ￡90.7m as parliament brought in an independent  watchdog to keep down the costs.There was a suggestion that MPs' wives, children and even parents shouldn't be on the public  payroll –ARIA Restaurant's Matt Moran shows why simple madeleines can truly take the cake  yet some are still enjoying salaries as high as ￡50,000 for office duties.

We all want to do our best to help our families, but in these straightened times I can't see how  they can even try to justify this.I'm all for paying people properly, but this seems like a lot of money going into one family's  coffers.With unemployment rising in so many parts of the country, wouldn't it be better to open up these  taxpayer funded jobs to everyone, and not give them within the family?I'm not saying that MPs shouldn't be paid for what they do and recompensed when their  jobs  leave them out of pocket.