The British prime minister Gordon Brown's standing has been badly damaged by the slew of explosive revelations over his ministers' expenses, according to a new poll.
As Westminster braces itself for another batch of claims details to appear in the Sunday newspapers, it emerged that more than two thirds of the public believe the scandals have directly hurt the Prime Minister.
Some 89 per cent of those quizzed by ICM for the
News of the Worldwarned that the reputation of Parliament was being tarnished, and 91 per cent called for uncensored expenses records to be published in full immediately.
The stark findings came after two bruising days of revelations from more than a million receipts leaked to the
Daily Telegraph.
The latest material to be released showed millionaire tourism minister Barbara Follett claimed more than £25,000 for security patrols outside her home between 2004 and 2008.
Care services minister Phil Hope and health minister Ben Bradshaw also faced questions about their spending on second properties.
Meanwhile, immigration minister Phil Woolas threatened legal action over what he branded "disgusting" suggestions that he used parliamentary allowances to buy clothes for his wife, nappies and comics.
Commons Speaker Michael Martin was criticised over a £1,400 bill for being chauffeured around his Glasgow constituency. And it emerged that solicitor general Vera Baird had a £268 claim for Christmas decorations turned down. All insist they did not break any rules.
Desperate parliamentary officials have asked Scotland Yard to investigate the leak - although police sources indicated the force was unlikely to decide whether to launch a probe until after the weekend.
There have been widespread calls for the House authorities to disclose all the material now rather than allow the "drip drip" disclosure by the Telegraph to continue.