Expenses excuse

How illuminating it was to see the First Minister on the Scottish TV debate dodge the question of his two months' London eating expenses when parliament was not sitting and he was not there (your report, 3 May).

He took the standard MPs' defence that he was "cleared" of any offence, while pointedly not explaining why he claimed in the first place. As for his enormous golden handshake for "retiring from politics" going into a "trust fund", he seems blissfully unaware that what he does with the money our taxes gave him is totally immaterial.

Every penny should be returned to the taxpayers who supplied it.

ALEXANDER MCKAY

New Cut Rigg

Edinburgh

I asked the question about MPs' expenses at the BBC Scotland Scottish Leaders' Debate on Sunday and was disappointed that Messrs Murphy, Mundell, Salmond and Carmichael did not answer it.

I simply asked how we could take seriously party leaders' promises to clean up politics when they had endorsed candidates who had been forced to return money stolen from the taxpayer. We must adopt a zero tolerance approach to dishonesty and corruption in all levels of government.

Every single MP who failed to claim their expenses correctly and honestly should have been barred from standing. I believe that every ballot paper should offer the millions of people who feel unable to vote for candidates offered by the parties a final option of "None of the above" so we can positively vote to reject the choice of candidates.

BRUCE HENDERSON

Baker Street

Bo'ness