Former Cabinet ministers for hire?
One veteran Labour county councillor from Ashfield said he was "disgusted"; another talked of "careerists putting self interest above the party".
The harsh words have been directed at two of Labour's biggest names from the East Midlands, the Leicester West MP Patricia Hewitt and Ashfield's Geoff Hoon.
The former Cabinet ministers have been suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) after they were exposed in Channel Four's "Dispatches" programme on Monday. They were secretly filmed revealing how much it would cost to hire them to influence government policy making.
The Labour leader of Ashfield Distict Council, John Knight, has warned Gordon Brown that the party faced "slow pain" at the polls, if nothing was done against the former ministers... a sign that suspending them from the parliamentary party may not be enough.
"The real tragedy is it is not just about Geoff. He is a man who personifies an entire generation of middle-class Labour MPs, who have absolutely no affinity or understanding of the people they are supposed to represent," said Councillor Knight.
There's been no word yet from Geoff Hoon or Patricia Hewitt. But they will feel angered at the disciplinary steps taken by the PLP. Was it revenge for their attempt in January to force a leadership challenge to Gordon Brown?
Both MPs have their outside interests listed in the MPs' register. It's all above board. It's within the parliamentary rules. Channel Four's exposure caught them looking for work and consultancies when they are no longer MPs and no longer on a parliamentary salary. There's nothing illegal there either.
They are standing down when the general election is called. That's now going to be very soon indeed.
At least we now know how much it costs to hire a former cabinet minister for a day's consultation - anything from £2,500-£3,000. Nice work.
Hello. My name is John Hess. I'm the BBC's Political Editor for the East Midlands and this blog will offer my musings on the political scene from Westminster to closer to home. 
