Nothing exemplifies the stark reality of two Britains than the furore over Maria Miller's housing expenses and her government's ongoing bedroom tax war against poor people.

Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, who lives off his wife's rich family, even down to squatting rent-free in their 16th century Tudor country house, struck the first blow in this war a year ago.

His contention is that 600,000 people are living in local authority or housing association accommodation that is too big for them and they should pay more for the privilege of staying where they are or get out.

Many such people would be happy to move if there was more suitable social accommodation in their area.

Others have become attached to the homes they grew up in, established their families in, developed local friendships and built support networks and have no desire to move to another area where they may know no-one.

Personal circumstances don't matter a jot to Duncan Smith, who has all the human kindness of a talking clock as he justifies conservative coalition dogma on what Tories and Liberal Democrats call a spare room subsidy.

This advocate of the oxymoron "compassionate conservatism" knows that there is an absolute shortage of one and two-bedroom council accommodation.

This is not only because the original priority was to concentrate on housing families but also because his party initiated the mass sell-off of council homes 30 years ago and governments of whatever colour since then have failed to fund local authority housing for rent.

So despite the current housing crisis not being council tenants' fault, with nearly two million people on never-ending council waiting lists, it is on these 600,000 scapegoats that the blame falls.

Ministers promised that disabled people would be spared the iniquitous effects of the bedroom tax.

Tell that to former soldier Chris Karuna in Cardiff, whose war pension is docked every week.

Karuna would normally be one of that fellowship hailed by politicians and media as "heroes" for taking part in Britain's endless overseas wars, but government respect for heroes doesn't extend too far.

As far as ministers are concerned, cash is there to be saved and votes gained from a full-frontal attack on those forced to live on benefits - or "scroungers," as they think of them.

Compassion is too precious to be wasted on old soldiers or people who have raised families and contributed to society.

It should be concentrated on hard-faced Tory politicians like Miller, who designated her constituency home as her main residence to enable her to claim ever-rising mortgage benefits on her London property, where she not only spent most nights but accommodated her parents as well at our expense.

Miller has already displayed her own warm heart by closing Remploy factories, throwing thousands of disabled workers onto the cobbles and axing Independent living dund grants for people with disabilities.

She has paraded her disdain for common decency by dragging her feet over the Standards Commissioner's inquiry and trying to bully her into dropping it.

As a follow-up, Miller confirmed her contempt for accountability by reciting a 32-second non-apology to the House of Commons, closely surrounded by her fellow Tory millionaires.

Their contempt for the rest of us should be reciprocated today at over 20 anti-bedroom tax protests taking place across Britain.

It's time these arrogant, heartless rich bastards were shown the door.