IF there is one thing guaranteed to raise the hackles of ordinary working people in this country, it is the sound of MPs whingeing about their expenses.

That is what we were treated to yesterday as the Leader of the House of Commons and the prime minister criticised the new parliamentary expenses regime.

Let us be clear about this. If MPs now face more red tape and bureaucracy in claiming their expenses they have only themselves to blame.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority exists because MPs could not be trusted to administer their own expenses system.

The stench of the scandal that so disgusted voters two years ago has not gone away.

One former MP is already in prison for being an expenses cheat and others will follow.

Even more should think themselves lucky to have escaped with just the shame of having to repay thousands of pounds of your money.

We have no problem with MPs being able to claim legitimate expenses incurred while doing their jobs.

But the rules governing such claims must be followed and, as a basic minimum, all claims should be backed up with genuine receipts.

That is what the rest of us have to do. If the new system is wasteful or inefficient then these problems should, of course, be tackled.

The guiding principle behind any potential changes of the new system must be that doing so saves taxpayers’ money.

If the only downside of the Ipsa regime is that it is inconvenient for MPs then that is not a reason for reform.