There is hardly a single person in the House of Commons worth painting; though many of them would be better for a little white-washing.
– Oscar Wilde
The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 6. Basil Hallward is a principled man and has a side-swipe at the corruption of politicians when he says there is hardly one in the British parliment worth painting. However, he suggests that many could benefit from a whitewash – or cover-up of their misdeeds.