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The chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life has said that he is "not surprised" that party leaders have failed to reach agreement on reform of MPs' expenses.
Sir Christopher Kelly told the BBC that there was no "unambiguously right answer" on allowances for MPs.
His comments came after Gordon Brown met Conservative leader David Cameron and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg on Wednesday night in an attempt to reach agreement on the controversial issue.
However, talks ended after half an hour with no consensus reached.
Number 10 has also said that despite setting out its own plans for reform, it still wants the review launched on Thursday by Sir Christopher's committee to go ahead.
Sir Christopher denied claims that the prime minister's plans to reform MPs' expenses undermined the committee's inquiry.
"I didn't feel undermined at all because I was not at all surprised that what happened last night did happen," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"I am not surprised that the party leaders failed to meet agreement last night.
"These are very difficult issues and there is unlikely to be any unambiguously right answer, which is why what is needed is an independent look at it by a committee such as ours."
He said that he understood the pressure placed on the prime minister to restructure allowances.
"The tide of public fury about what has been going on over MPs' expenses is overwhelming," he said.
"I quite understand why he felt it necessary to be seen to be acting quickly."
The prime minister made clear that his proposals were interim plans, Sir Christopher said.
They are subject to any conclusions that the committee comes to, he added.
But the committee chairman also expressed doubt about whether the prime minister's proposals would actually be voted on by MPs.
"If indeed these changes are introduced, then we will have to take account of them and way them up against other alternatives," he said. "If the committee comes to the conclusion that some of the things that were introduced were wrong then we will say so."
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