Has Brown shot himself in the foot over expenses...again?

Alan Simpson MP told Lobbydog that a key factor which pushed back-benchers to rebel was the PM's handling of the expenses crisis.

He said the case of Ian Gibson MP, who was punished by Gordon Brown’s “Star Chamber” – set up last month to investigate MPs’ expenses – had caused particular anger.

It was reported that Gibson sold a taxpayer funded flat to his daughter below market value.

The Star Chamber disapproved and ruled he would not be eligible to stand at the next election.

Simpson said: “Mr Gibson is the only person to have been judged by the panel and he did so because he was confident of clearing his name, and was shocked that the panel didn’t take the same view.

“It looks as though this was a hanging that was looking for a trial. Brown should have been more demonstrative of people in his own cabinet but there’s a feeling that he couldn’t do it.

“His first action was against the back benchers and many think that is unforgivable on the part of Brown.”