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A couple of articles from the latest issue of ‘Private Eye’ jumped out and punched me between the eyes this week.

The first of them concerns expenses at the EU Parliament (the only directly elected body within the EU, and it has no legislative initiative). I have long felt that the sheer mess of the EU ’s oragnisation and audit trail is not accidental. By keeping things confusing and, ergo, inciting apathy, the EU elite get away with a lot more than they otherwise could.

And so it is that Private Eye tells us Glenys Kinnock is amongst those caught by MEP Hans Peter Martin utilising the time honored office tradition of ‘Sign In and Sod Off (SISO)’ in the EUP. Glenys and one hundred and ninety three other MEP’s were caught leaving the building immediately after signing in, simply to claim their GBP175 daily allowance.

The biggest shock here is not the lack of interest this has generated in the mainstream press, but the fact that it is only recent news. Tales of obscene fiddling and dubious expenses have been flowing from Brussels long before the local expenses scandal came to light.

The second article concerns my – and anyone who truly values equality – bitter enemy ‘multicultralism’. Tower Hamlets in London have recently appointed a new team to their council who promise to deliver ‘One Tower Hamlets’. For those who don’t understand the politically correct babble of British society, this term implies a perfect blend and representation of every culture in the area, living in Disney style harmony.

Just one problem: eight members of the ten man team are Bengali. This might be understandable if they were the best for the job of course, thought that seems unlikely considering five are defectors to Labour from George Galloway’s Respect Coalition, one tried to make taxpayers pay for his Olympic trip last year and another has been reprimanded for his lack of attendance at council meetings.

My question is simple: if people with the same track record had been appointed to these positions but were ethnic English instead of Bengali, would the press coverage be this thin?