WHY in all the debate about MPs’ expenses has no-one mentioned one simple word – honesty? Not one MP, political journalist or interviewer on television has mentioned this word.

It does not matter how bad the system is, honest MPs would not have made these claims in the first place. But why is everyone so reluctant to mention this word honesty? It seems almost as if the political chattering classes (including political journalists) are afraid of this word.

JOHN SMITH Warrington