For thousands of years Stonehenge has attracted celebrations and revellers over the summer solstice, but for 2009 Wiltshire Constabulary have adopted a heavy-handed approach to policing the festivities.

Westminster is in meltdown. Many MPs stand accused of fiddling expenses claims in order to line their own pockets, and some of them have already been suspended from their parties (but still more must surely follow) while the Speaker has been forced to jump ship entirely and resign – a measure unheard of in over three centuries.

From house flipping stunts performed in order to maximise on taxpayer-funded property expense claims, through attempts to claim for moat clearing, duck islands and toilet seats to even more serious allegations of tax evasion (which are surely matters for the police force to investigate), the creeping rot is not limited to one party – the whole political system and government culture is riddled with it.