The current corruption scandal to hit parliament is absolutely unprecedented.
While allegations of sleaze, investigations into sleaze and the occasional MP getting fired or even imprisoned are nothing new, the spotlight is usually confined to the party in power.
Now we have a snapshot of parliament as a whole and we find that once journalists start to do a little digging they find that politicians can be as corrupt in opposition as they are in power.
If the expenses system itself is scrapped, if untested political parties - those that have no serving MPs, MEPs or peers - are given serious consideration at election time, then at least some good will emerge from this revolting mess.
British politics will never be the same again.
