Standards

Councillor Bill Pritchard, who is paying the penalty for his uncompromising views - and a patent lack of contrition for stating them - will probably compare his treatment at the hands of an adjudication panel with the lack of sanctions applied to property-flipping, tax-avoiding, nepotistic MPs who have a creative approach in respect of expense claims.

There is arguably little place for either attitude towards the electorate at any tier of public service but before any parliamentarians pose the question if councillors would care to exchange their code of conduct with the prospect of public trial by Daily Telegraph then they should first remember that they are responsible for bringing about both outcomes– one way or another.