Stephen Fry was quite right when he described the current furore over MP’s expenses as a “journalistic made up frenzy”. The whole episode is undeniably embarrassing for all parties, and one cannot defend individuals who have exploited a flawed system for their own gain. That said, how important is this current scandal? The total amount that could be claimed by MPs for second homes (and by no means all MPs claim anything) would still come to £3 million less than the contract the BBC are rumoured to have signed with Jonathan Ross in 2006. Any waste of public money should be condemned, but at a time when the country is facing the biggest financial crisis for decades, factories are closing, unemployment is rising, and our national debt repayments will soon overtake spending on schools, is this issue really so important that it should dominate the news coverage for several weeks? Much of the coverage has been slapdash at best, and simply incorrect at worst, and often presented by broadcasters and journalists who draw much larger salaries and expenses (from the public purse in the case of the BBC) than Members of Parliament.David Cameron has shown great leadership by taking control of the situation and enforcing tighter rules for Conservative MPs. Gordon Brown will continue to dither on the subject as he simply lacks the authority to control his own party, let alone the national political landscape. The whole fiasco will inevitably damage all major parties in June’s elections, however this is likely to be short lived. Parliament must act quickly and in unison to repair the damage caused, but the media and the public must also take a much calmer look at the situation.