MPs square up to Downing Street cronies

Sounds like Labour MPs made their feelings about the expenses debacle known to Chief Whip Nick Brown at the party’s meeting last night.

A couple that I spoke to and those on Radio 4 just now, Mark Fisher and Stuart Bell, seemed to be taking the same line.

They were angry over the handling of the situation, but they blamed bad advice in Downing Street and hinted that Brown – who they urged to take control – had been misguided.

Stoke Central MP Fisher said: “He was very poorly advised indeed and he should look at the quality and the experience of some of his advisors in Downing Street.”

The lingering question is whether it should be possible to misguide the PM to such an extent.

Perhaps more interesting now is that Labour MPs – while still backing the PM for now – feel angry and able enough to speak out against the Downing Street cadre.