Much as I admire your sentiments Simonsimon I think this is worse than some, or maybe all, the old Tory scandals. All of the above did it for mere personal gain: an illicit shag here or the chance to shadily accquire a few bob there. The 'Cash for Honors' scandal is about the actual process of government becoming corrupted - by official sanction at the highest level (allegedly). It makes a few grand in an envelope look like small beer.