EVER wondered why MPs have such long summer holidays?

No it's not a joke, it's all to do with history. In Victorian times, the River Thames was an open sewer, so in summertime the smell made Westminster a pretty unpleasant and unhealthy place to be.

Keen to look after Number One - no change there, I hear you say - the MPs got out of town until the heat died down.

I mention this as there's currently a bigger stink coming from the Mother of Parliaments than ever rose from the fetid waters of Father Thames. It's the row over MPs' expenses and the decision - the foolish, doomed decision - to ride roughshod over the Freedom of Information Act and refuse to make them public.

Now here's a surprise. I think MPs should be paid more than their current £61,280. I believe most of them need two homes - be they ever so humble - to do their Parliamentary and constituency jobs properly. What they don't need and we should no longer tolerate is a system open to abuse by the unscrupulous among them.

That abuse makes me, and should make you, very angry. I feel personally affronted by what's going on. As an elected Mayor, I have to count myself as a member of the establishment, albeit a reluctant and sometimes rebellious one. I try to act honestly and honourably in public life and know that the rest of my colleagues in councils up and down the country, elected members and salaried officials do the same. They would no more milk the system than they would try to flog the Transporter Bridge to a passing tourist.

Yet it's these same decent people who will be hearing the sneers in the street, at the match, at their ward surgery or the supermarket, the snide remarks that we're all the same, all in it for what we can get.

They're the ones who, when the Minister for This-or-That pops up and asks why people are apathetic about politics, will have to bite their tongue rather than say, actually it's because of the disillusion and cynicism that your behaviour has allowed to breed and fester.

The second reason of course, is why we're all angry. This is our money and these people are our servants. The rules on Parliamentary spending are so lax that receipts only have to be produced if the bill tops £250. Well. I am sorry, in my ledger book, and I suspect yours, £250 isn't something you lose down the side of the settee. It's a lot of money and we want to see every penny accounted for.

The Parliamentary authorities have hired an up-market solicitor to defend their decision. In court, they'll have a well-fed barrister to argue their case.

Well, I don't have a brass plate on my office door, or letters after my name. When I argue the toss, I don't wear knee-breeches and a horsehair wig. I bet that's a relief to you all.

But I know something about the highest court in the land - the court of public opinion. It's one which all democratically-elected individuals have to appear. So here's my advice to the honourable members - by the way it's free and every bit as good as anything you'll find in John Lewis.

Tell us how much of our money you are spending and what you're spending it on because we have a right to know. Treat us like adults. Give us some answers and respect. In return, we'll have an honest debate about what your contribution to the community is really worth. Who knows, the answer - like my comments on your salary - may come as a pleasant surprise.

But if you don't, it may be that next time you ask for our support we will decide you need a holiday every bit as long as the ones your Victorian forebears enjoyed. A permanent holiday in fact, but one not taken at our expense.