LONDON, (Reuters) – Embarrassing disclosures about the vast expenses claims of British members of parliament amount to a “McCarthy-style witch-hunt” that risks driving politicians to suicide, a lawmaker said yesterday.
Nadine Dorries, of the opposition Conservative party, wrote on her blog that the scandal, in which the Daily Telegraph newspaper has fed details of how members of parliament have abused their generous expense allowances, was forcing politicians to the brink.
The scandal has triggered outrage across recession-hit Britain and opposition calls for an early general election.
European and local elections to be held on June 4 are expected to reflect the level of popular disgust, with lower voter turnout and a move towards fringe parties predicted.
A poll published in today’s edition of the left-leaning Guardian found that two-thirds of voters sampled want Prime Minister Gordon Brown to call an election before Christmas.
The Guardian/ICM poll also found that more than a quarter of voters are planning to reject mainstream political parties in favour of minority ones because of the expenses crisis.
