Expenses difficulty for David Heathcoat-Amory

Having been Conservative MP for Wells for 27 years, David Heathcoat-Amory might have expected to comfortably hold his seat at the coming election.

But that was before the expenses controversy.

He's faced one of Parliament's biggest bills, paying back nearly £30,000.

For the record, he broke no rules; in fact he's been one of our cheaper MPs.

As he owned houses in Somerset and London he claimed no rent or mortgage.

Instead he was allowed to claim for gardening and maintenance for his constituency home - including the now legendary manure.

Unfortunately for him the rules were changed - and applied retrospectively.

But these subtleties may be lost on constituents.

The strength of feeling I found talking to people in Wells took me by surprise.

Election night will be interesting.