‘Mr Malik, to Represent the People of Dewsbury Do You Need a £2600 Cinema System Paid for by the Taxpayer?’ An Analysis of British Television News Coverage of the 2009 MPs ‘Expenses Scandal

This article explores British television news coverage of the 2009 MPs expenses scandal as part of a broader analysis of television coverage of politics. Drawing on an analysis of the content of the coverage and examples of interviews aired, it argues that routine journalistic practices closed down the space available for a thorough and open-ended exploration of the claims made by MPs. Instead, coverage concentrated on the moral and financial laxity of MPs and the allegations made against them.