Cleaners

Today's news reveals that some politicians have a lot of cleaning done. Mr Brown has been claiming about £240 a month for cleaning.

What bugs me, is why can politicians have a cleaner on tax payers' money and I can't?

At university, the students get rooms in hall, or college. At Oxbridge, they have colleges that own their own premises and rent them out to the students. Cleaners come as part of the deal. No-one has to buy their own sofas, or arrange 'essential maintenance' because that's the colleges' problem, not the students', and it shouldn't be an MP's problem either. Why can't MPs have the same arrangement? Parliament should buy and own accommodation that is available to MPs, so there's none of this nonsense of expense claiming for second homes.

Vacuum cleaning

I bought a couple of the step daughters a vacuum cleaner - a brand that my mother-in-law insisted on buying for me 17 years ago so I know it's good. Nevertheless, I was well pleased with SDs' delight and use of cleaner. And SD#3's thanked me so enthusiastically that I'm well chuffed.

SD#3 rang all excited to say how she was using it and which of the tools she used to get round the furniture and which tools do the backs of the radiators - the land lady is doing an inspection tomorrow. SD#3 was eulogising about how great this vacuum cleaner is and how land lady is going to find the place sparkling clean.

My SD#3 needs to get out more.