The problem with the Telegraph's report on MP expenses is two-fold. Firstly, this story is now getting a little tired. We're getting less and less shocked by these claims as the story drags on and soon we won't really care about these abuses. Secondly, like every other story these days, they're trying too hard to grab headlines. The story is big enough by itself, why flog it?

Why do I think they're mis-managing the story? Well for the first time that I can recall I actually think Claire Short, a woman I despise with a passion, is getting a rough ride. Apparently she overclaimed on her mortgage. Now of course she screwed up, the suggestion that she told the House of Commons fees office that they should accept some responsibility could be taken as petulant shirking, or it could be that she was a tad annoyed at being asked to pay back £8,500 in one hit and the office should really have spotted it sooner so the bill was more manageable, maybe even letting her repay it with interest over a period. And this is the problem, I usually assume the worst of Claire Short and here I am accepting that she has a plausible tale for it being a genuine mistake and assuming the more human response than the sickeningly diabolical and obscene alternative I would typically attribute to her.

And the very point which first made me feel even a pang of humanity towards that witch? She repaid this money three years ago! This was a case of a claim being dealt with already. Given the number of MPs repaying this stuff now, or within the past couple of weeks when they all realised they'd get caught. The woman repaid it in 2006! It wasn't some spin control action, it wasn't damage limitation for the newspapers. She made a claim, it got queried and fixed. Let's focus on the idiots still trying to hide these abuses, let's worry about who hasn't repaid certain bills or even those who have only repaid this stuff to keeo the media happy.