Among the distrusted and despised professionals are lawyers, estate agents, journalists and politicians. At the moment, politicians are seen as the most despicable as they have been shamelessly milking the expenses system.
Some MPs have decided to stand down at the next general election rather than resign immediately, thereby, it seems, keep what may be termed as severance pay to ease their transition from being an MP to a non-MP. The amounts reported in the papers are quite generous. Also in the papers are the news that over 50 Labour MPs, who are probably set to lose their seats, want a seat in the Lords. Being a Lord does not only mean receiving an impressive title which guarantees his lordship a top table in a posh restaurant, but also quite a lot of allowances. All in all, it further deepens the widely held impression that politicians are trying to squeeze the last penny from the tax system.