Alan Duncan should have known better.  I have commented before that we live in a Big Brother society.  We know that members of the media, the public, even the MPs will secretly tape one another and attempt to discredit them because of some vendetta.  It’s embarrassing to be caught, not to mention potentially career-damaging.

No one’s going to even listen to debate about whether it’s ethical, legal, or moral to use secret tapings as evidence.  It may or may not be accurate, but there’s always the danger of taking things out of context.  But it doesn’t matter to the rest of the public, does it?

I’m not defending Mr. Duncan.  Nor do I believe the age-old excuse of it just being a joke. I don’t even know what expense reforms have really been put in place.  All the talk seemed to amount to nothing, so I can’t even understand why he would complain.  On the other hand, this whole expense thing was so laughable, that his complaints would only trigger an eyeball roll and a chuckle than outright anger.  Then again, maybe I have a better sense of humour than Sir Alistair Graham gives credit to the general public.

Perhaps, Alan Duncan has shown his true colours.  Perhaps, he’s not as good an actor as other MPs who have been in the limelight so long that they have become polished.  Perhaps, he’s not a good judge of character and is too trusting.  I doubt that his sentiments are unique to himself.  He was just the first to be caught out.  Now the others are forewarned.

And, of course, Mr. Heydon Prowse cannot escape criticism.  As a member of the media, his reputation can never escape untainted.  He was a vandal with a sense of humour, but a vandal, nevertheless.  He was charmed by Mr. Duncan, yet was willing to stab him in the back.  He was also dishonest enough not to mention that he was secretly taping him, so it’s doubtful that he even revealed his relationship with a magazine.

So, it would be good to remember, whether you’re a bigwig or a lowly Joe Public, that this is an intolerant, insecure, extremely sensitive and politically correct society.  If you can’t change your attitude, then you will need to consider each and every word you utter, unless you really mean to stir up controversy.