MPs accused of massive cover-up

The official publication of MPs' expense claims yesterday has managed to achieve what many believed was impossible: it has made the crisis worse, leading to claims that MPs and officials in Westminster were planning a massive cover-up operation.

The exercise has not only shown exactly how much MPs did not want the public to know, and precisely why they wanted to be so secretive, but it has revealed some items that were previously missed by the Daily Telegraph's month-long revelations from the leaked, uncensored version.

It has all been followed by attempts to blame parliamentary officials, with suggestions they often carried out the censoring without asking the MP involved. However, MPs did have the opportunity to ask the officials to add or remove items.

The separate publication of a list showing what MPs have already paid back following the Telegraph revelations - almost £500,000 in total - has only added to the public anger. Even party leaders have "made mistakes" it transpires.

For example, Tory leader David Cameron has decided to pay back an extra £267 for an "inadvertent error" in his mortgage payments. He had already said he would return £680 he had claimed for maintenance of his wisteria.

In 2005, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne claimed £47 for two copies of a DVD of his own speech on, of all things, 'Value for Taxpayers Money'.

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair claimed almost £7,000 for roof repairs on his second home in June 2007, just days before he stood down as an MP, although his office insist the repairs were done much earlier.

And Gordon Brown 's £90 claim for Sky TV, which had already been revealed, was blacked out as were large numbers of other of the more ludicrous claims which were rejected, such as a Tory MPs' duck house. But the Prime Minister has paid back £466.85 for a cleaning bill he claimed for twice in 2007-08.

But there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of other examples and local constituency parties and voters will be trawling through the censored Commons version and comparing it to the uncensored version published by the Telegraph to see exactly what their MPs have been up to. The paper is itself planning to do the same exercise.

Former minister Hazel Blears was the latest to face moves to ban her standing again as an MP when furious constituents attempted to de-select her on Thursday night after she avoided paying £13,000 in capital gains tax (she later made a song and dance about paying it back). She then quit the frontbench, after being criticised by Gordon Brown, adding to the sense of crisis around the Prime Minister's leadership.

Blears escaped de-selection, but there must be a serious question mark over her future if voters decide to vent their anger in the general election.

She may not be the last and, with the parties, media and constituencies going through the claims with a fine toothcomb, there will undoubtedly be more revelations and more resignations.

What is worrying MPs the most is how they can re-build their reputations before they have to face the voters in a year's time. A tall order.