Straw parrots Brown's bollocks

Yesterday in Parliament Jack Straw repeated the completely spurious argument that having a referendum on the Alternative Vote was all about rebuilding trust in light of the expenses scandal. Do Jack Straw and Gordon Brown (and whoever else buys the argument) seriously think that the following is the case:

Voter 1: How do you feel about the expenses scandal?
Voter 2: I'm really pissed off about it, they're all thieving bastards who clearly can't be trusted!
Voter 1: What do you think should be done about it?
Voter 2: Well, I'd trust them much more if I could vote for them in order of preference instead of just voting for one of them.
Voter 1: Me too!

Do I need to say more? The idea that the conversion to a new voting system is because of expenses is bollocks. No one can seriously a voting system that ensures the least disliked person wins will make voters trust politicians more. Can they?

Incidentally, quote of the debate last night has to go to Tom Harris who asked Straw whether he "attribute[s] the stainless reputation of Italian politicians to the fact that the Italians have proportional representation?" Very drole!