All the politicians who currently have their expenses claims currently under the microscope have provided what, in their view, are perfectly good reasons why they have claimed for what they have. (Apart from those that have made �genuine errors� such as claiming mortgage payments for a mortgage that has been repaid, or reimbursement of full council tax payments when only 50% was paid).
That is the main problem that these revelations have uncovered. MPs simply do not understand that many, many people incur necessary expenses in the course of their work and they are rightly reimbursed (after receipts and reasons for the expenditure are produced). Many more incur the sort of frivolous expenses as some of those highlighted and they would not dream of claiming for them (or at least, if they did, they would get short shrift from their employer).
MPs simply do not understand this. They have become enmeshed in a culture where claims are made because they can be made, not because they should be. Even more damning, it seems that devious manipulations such as �flipping� are employed to maximise those payments when the �Honourable� Members should be doing all they can to minimise their claims.