How the high and mighty have fallen

One has to admit to a certain schadenfreude in seeing the self-appointed 'whiter than white' Lib Dems embroiled in back to back expenses scandals. The incessant message from Nick Clegg during the election campaign that a vote for his party was a vote for something different, a cleansing of Westminster, was difficult to take as there was little evidence that the average Lib Dem was less likely to abuse expenses than the average MP from any other party. There was just less of them.

However, to take everything that the the Telegraph says at face value is not a road that I wish to go down so the cases of Laws and Alexander both deserved scrutiny.

For David Laws, it seems to be an open and shut case. He tried to massage his conscious by widening the interpretation of the word 'partner'. He got it wrong but there are strong mitigating circumstances and hopefully after a quick investigation, a repayment of the ~£40k rent, David will be back working in the job that many seem to agree he was put on this planet to do.

For Danny Alexander, it seems he barely has a case to answer so that schadenfreude I spoke of leaves me with egg on my chin. The new Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Comparisons have been made with Hazel Blears' situation where the Labour MP had to pay back a five-figure sum (with a cheque whipped tellingly quickly from her handbag). There seeem to be some similarities and there seem to be some differences. However, a look at the rules shows that Alexander should be able to ride this out fairly easily.

A main home, as this one was, can be labelled a 'second home' for three years while it is waiting to be sold, which seems fair to me.

The Telegraph talk about a "loophole" that Danny Alexander took advantage of which is deeply unfair. The supposed loophole is just a part of the rules, their being small doesn't make them any more nefarious.

However, I don't think the Lib Dems should get too huffy about this weekend of discontent for them.

Firstly, Nick Clegg has invited this scrutiny by his fairly outrageous positioning of the wholesome, saintly, never-do-wrong party. That was never fully believable and was only ever going to result in newspapers digging deeper into their pasts.

And secondly, the Telegraph is coming in for criticism for these stories and their timing. The Telegraph is a private entity and shouldn't be demonised for having selling newspapers and making money as its main prerogative. It may be uncomfortable viewing for the Lib Dems who have been surfing the perfect wave for the past few weeks but is making money with front page splashes any worse than Laws making his millions as an investment banker?

You can't take the top jobs without taking the scrutiny that comes with it. The headlines on Laws were a direct hit and the headlines on Alexander look likely to misfire. We should all be satisfied at least that both men will, over the course of this Government term, serve in the Cabinet and make the difference that they both have the capability to do.

A bit more humility from Clegg going forward wouldn't go amiss though.