MONKEY BUSINESS IN BRITISH POLITICS

This summer will see the opening in British cinemas of a prequel to "The Planet of the Apes" called "Rise of the Planet of the Apes", providing the back story to the primate plot which eventually led to their future superior species status.

As for monkey business in British politics, and particularly in local government, we should be grateful for the Tweeter called Mr Monkey for raising its profile. The Mail newspaper revealed on Saturday: one council in South Tyneside "may have an awful lot to hide".

This story obviously resonates with readers of the paper, and one commentator has urged the prime minister to act because "we are all in this together". The monkey business goes much deeper than local authorities, although these might be a good place to start.

For the business of government and public services is increasingly that of contract and asset management, usually involving close working with major private firms. Any one who has attempted to question such relationships will know how just how difficult this can be, and why resort to blogging may be the only real option available.

Corruption is to a significant extent a cultural blind-spot in British politics - personally, I regard MPs expenses as small beer - and many in government and public life will all but deny its existence on our home shores, preferring to expend energy in lambasting organisations like FIFA and foreigners in general by way of media distraction.

An alternative interpretation may be that our supposed ruling classes already live on a different planet to the rest of us.