Where have we got to? It's over five weeks since the 'expenses scandal' broke and what real progress has been made? There has been plenty of hot air but little visible action.

The Kelly Commission has been set up to review MPs' pay and allowances but isn't due to report for some time. It all smacks of 'Sir Humphrey' and the fiasco appears to just rumble on.

Once exposed, some MPs very quickly agreed to repay their over claimed expenses. Some have decided not to stand again but only from the next election; the

Government appears to be tenuously hanging on until they have to go to the country in a year's time as it appears they have little chance of returning (according to opinion polls and the fury of the electorate); we have a new speaker and a few MPs are to be the subject of a police investigation.

But what positive action has been taken regarding the claiming of expenses?

Although MPs say they fully understand the feelings of people this is not borne out by their actions.

The recent publication of their expense claims was marred by the 'blacking out' of a large proportion of the information apparently on the grounds of security.

If the Daily Telegraph had not published the claims we would still be none the wiser.

I was disappointed with Alan Duncan's recent public meeting. Alan is a very able public orator and skillfully side-stepped and jinked around the pertinent and potentially damaging questions that were posed.

Unfortunately, this is an attribute we have come to expect of politicians but not one that ought to be thrown back in our faces when he is attempting to justify his expenses claims.

Like every public meeting some people attended to be purely vocal but the vast majority were hoping for a reasoned explanation of his actions, a statement that he had made a mistake and possibly some were hoping for an apology.

Unfortunately none was forthcoming.

I now sense that as there is neither an indication of remorse nor a sign that he has done anything wrong, support for him is starting to wane. This is confirmed by people to whom I have spoken.

It is my view that we have a very able MP who represents and supports the constituency well. It is also possible that if the next government is Conservative, we could be represented by a member of the new cabinet.

But he has to be re-elected first.

Alf Dewis
Oakham