Tory peer Lord Hanningfield is just out after a couple of months in HMP Standford Hill, a minimum security open prison of the type that the newspapers which support his party routinely characterise as ‘holiday camps’.

True, he still has to wear one of those electronic tags, and is subject to a 7.15pm curfew, which must somewhat curtail one’s opportunities to enjoy a G&T or two with the chaps at the local Conservative Club.

But  he’s an old man, and I guess the punishment was pretty much in line with the gravity of his offences, which consisted in ripping the taxpayer off for £14,000 by fiddling his House of Lords expenses. Continue reading →