What Thursday's papers are saying

Today sees the publication of Sir Thomas Legg's report in tp MP's exepenses and the Independent says that the reputation of British politicians will receive a fresh body blow as it accuses them of deliberately creating a culture of dishonesty at Westminster.

Using blunt language, he will accuse MPs of a collapse in their ethics regarding the expenses system. "The whole system lost sight of the Nolan principles,"adds the Guardian

Whilst the Express claims that MPs are set to win the battle to hang on to their fiddled expenses as the Westminster sleaze inquiry descended into chaos last night.

The Sun is not happy with the government's announcement on defence strategy yesterday.

Britain's forces will be unable to fight future wars without relying on the support of France says the paper reminding us that it comes despite France's refusal to commit troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A different take on the report from the Independent which says that Britain's armed forces could be used on a regular basis on the streets of Britain to confront the threat of terrorism,

Meanwhile the Telegraph reports that Gordon Brown was of sending British troops to Iraq and Afghanistan without the right equipment after the Chilcot inquiry heard claims that he "guillotined" the budget.

Mr Brown wrote to Tony Blair on September 26, 2003, forbidding the Ministry of Defence from switching resources to the front line.adds the Times

Both the Times and the Mail lead with the continuing problems at Toyota.Don't drive your Toyota says the Mail as it reports that authorities in the U.S. have linked apparent defects with accelerators to 19 deaths and thousands of accidents.

The Japanese manufacturer, the biggest car company in the world, revealed last night that 180,865 vehicles in the UK might be affected.says the Times

Groundbreaking research suggests that patients left in a “vegetative” state after suffering devastating brain damage are able to understand and communicate,is the top story in the Telegraph

They devised a technique to enable the man, now 29, to answer yes and no to ­simple questions through the use of a hi-tech scanner, monitoring his brain ­activity.
To answer yes, he was told to think of playing tennis, a motor activity. To answer no, he was told to think of wandering from room to room in his home, visualising everything he would expect to see there, creating activity in the part of the brain governing spatial awareness.

explains the Guardian

Britain faces power shortages in just fihttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifve years' time, bringing a threat of black-outs and huge rises in family bills reports the Mail.

The energy regulator Ofgem warned yesterday that drastic action is necessary, which could include nationalising the supply system.

After John Terry,the Sun turns its attention to Avram Grantthe Premier League manager seen visiting a "Thai" vice den.

As the paper says in the wake of England captain John Terry's failed bid to gag the press over his affair, we can now name Portsmouth chief Grant, who previously managed Terry at Chelsea.

Finally the Telegraph carries the story of the poor university student in New Zealand who offered her virginity on an auction site and has accepted a £20,000 offer to sleep with a stranger.