The watchdog body conducting an inquiry into MPs' expenses arrived in Belfast today to hold public meetings with local politicians, unfortunately the party with the largest number of MP's at Westminster, the DUP had already exempted itself from the meeting, preferring to be heard away from its electorate, in a separate London hearing.

The reason behind the DUP decision is not known, but it is reported that DUP leader Peter Robinson wrote in advance of today's visit, to the committee arguing the DUP view that Sinn Fein MPs who do not take their seats should not receive any money, including expenses and indicating to the committee that no DUP MP will hold double mandates by the 2015 assembly election.

Editorial

With public anger over MP's expenses, public anger over double jobbing, public anger over delayed elections and public anger over politicians employing their relatives, it seems unacceptable that the so very vocal DUP would not want to be heard by the standards committee in its own 'Capital City' Belfast.

Is Peter Robinson correct, will we have to wait until 2015 to see the end of double jobbing in this party, or are their electorate about to hasten the pace. Are the people of Ulster about to suffer hardship, redundancy and unemployment whilst the party they trusted and voted for, employ relatives as PA's, Administrator's and office managers, whilst they expense claims within rules the public have already shown contempt for, or whilst they hold down several 'full-time' jobs simultaneously, despite 48,000 people needing just one. Well, it would appear that at least 66,174 voters will think twice before voting 123 DUP in the future, but isn't it a disgrace when people have to be 'Shamed' into change.