Witch Hunt

For the Newspapers to bother reporting Gordon Brown's cleaning expenses is pathetic, but for the Guardian to feature this 'revelation' on the frontpage shows what kind editors we have selecting the news we are being fed.

Just stop and assess this information:

£6, 600 paid a cleaner over 26 months, that's £66 per week - £13 per day. Just how little do they think a cleaner should be paid, for God's sake.

This story that goes in the National press and on prime time TV News illustrates how irresponsible the media is being. What idiots do they take us for?

Leave Brown alone to get on with his job.

Let's be clear at the beginning - before I am elected as County Councillor. I shall be claiming for a taxi if it enables me to do the job of county councillor better. Though I enjoy driving, if I am faced with driving home over long distances after a long day of getting people to listen to me and taking in what they are saying, I shall use a taxi.

I shall not car share as this will put even greater strain on my patience to have to endure the company of pompous idiots.

What I see as being an efficient way of working is to have someone else taking care of getting me from 'A' to 'B', leaving me to write emails, make phone calls or just plain sleep.

If a County Councillor is doing his job properly he/she is managing the efficient spending of millions of pounds and needs to be enabled to do this in every way possible. Criticism is only justified if the councillor is not doing their job well. This is where the media should target its stories.

And before you start criticising the above, take note of the following:

At present a Councillor cannot claim for journeys for more than a set rate per mile in a car as though they were driving their own. Thus when I use a taxi - which I certainly will - it will be me that pays for most of the cost under the present rules.