Pot; Kettle

The Auditor-General, head of the spending watchdog and who is responsible for investigating waste and extravagance in Whitehall is facing pressure to resign his position after the National Audit Office (NAO) volunteered details of how Sir John Bourn spent £365 000 on 43 trips and £27 000 on meals in just three years- all at the taxpayers’ expense.

He travelled first-class (with his wife on 22 occasions) to destinations including San Francisco, the Bahamas, Brazil, Lisbon and Venice, costing £76,000. He also had 164 lunches and dinners (since 2004) including meals at the Ritz, Savoy, Dorchester, Wiltons, Mirabelle and Bibendum. The bills, nearly all for two people, varied from £80 to £301.

A spokeswoman for the NAO said that Sir John would no longer take first-class flights or travel with his wife without parliamentary approval, but added: “The Auditor-General justifies the dinners and lunches as part of the need for the NAO to keep in touch with a wide range of people, including companies that are doing business with government and the NAO.”

Well, that's all right then...