HOMOSEXUAL MPs, we are told, are demanding that they be treated the same as married politicians in the Commons when it comes to claiming allowances for their partners.

This would give them the same benefits that straight MPs get for their husbands or wives - first-class train trips, car mileage allowances, a pass to Parliament. Equal rights and all that.

But if many might query this claim - which is apparently backed by ministers - many more, I am certain, will wonder by what right, other than the traditional tendency of politicians to stick their noses in the trough, do wives and husbands of MPs claim these perks at public expense.

There is none that I can see that justifies the spouses of our representatives at Westminster drawing this money since they do nothing for our actual benefit.

And rather than letting MPs' gay lovers climb on the gravy train, ministers with a concern for rights - in particular, those of the taxpayers - ought to ensure that all these surplus passengers are kicked off, whatever their sexual bent.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.