Relations between MPs and the expenses watchdog are less than friendly. In fact, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) is hated by some of those in the Commons.

IPSA has taken a battering from MPs, claiming it has made a hash of things. But amid mutterings of "false claims" being made, the expenses watchdog seems to have declared: "It's war".

WHAT a mess. A year after the expenses scandal first blew up, the stench lingers on.

It took newspaper journalists to shame Parliament into action, after years of doing nothing to deal with the expenses crisis.

Angry MPs first blasted the media for even daring to cover the story, but as public anger exploded, a major inquiry was launched.

EXCLUSIVE

A TOP civil servant at the Department for Transport claimed for a £1 fare on expenses despite an annual salary of up to £120,000 and looming spending cuts.

Details of business expenses by senior officials were slipped out by the Department for Transport (DfT) just before Christmas and could prove embarrassing in light of the MPs' expenses scandal.

It comes as the DfT's most recent annual report - published last July - showed overall UK transport spending was planned to fall by more than £1bn from £9.196.1bn in 2009-10 to £8.108.7bn in 2010-11.

And further cuts could come as politicians struggle to reduce Britain's £178bn debt.

What is the story behind the mystery call that Gordon Brown claimed on his expenses to Canterbury.

Could it become his very own Canterbury tale, not written by Chaucer but a modern day author? Gordon is likely to hope it all goes away.

Of course, pigs could fly. This expenses mess is really dragging on. Oh how he must hope for happier times like that pictured below.

Is Blairite Alan Milburn literally feathering his own nest? The Darlington MP announced he would quit his Darlington seat in June this year, but went on a spending spree at John Lewis in March.

"Household" items costing £760.85 were claimed for by Mr Milburn covering March this year, along with a £595.69 annual Sky TV subscription.

In an echo of the "duck house" controversy, it included a £107 duck down kingsize duvet.