They have bought everything from bath plugs to plasma televisions on their expenses, but now MPs are sweating over mounting speculation at Westminster that one of their number has gone further.
One Labour MP is said to have claimed the cost of building a sauna on his second homa allowance, insisting that a skin condition made it necessary for him to have regular sessions at his home. The unnamed parliamentarian would have left taxpayers with a bill of thousands of pounds.
A Commons source said: "Jacqui Smith claimed for her husband's porn films and an 88p bath plug but to claim for installing a sauna would be absolutely breathtaking."
Party leaders have been told to plan for possible by-elections when full details of all MPs' claims are published for the first time in July amid suggestions that some are so outrageous they could lead to resignations.
Three Labour MPs were reported last week to have been placed on "suicide watch" by party whips because of fears their expenses details could reveal that they had affairs.
MPs voted in a series of reforms to the much-criticised expenses system last week - but a Government plan to replace MPs' second-home allowances with a flat-rate attendance fee was abandoned.
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MP CLAIMED £10,000 MORE ON EXPENSES THAN HE PAID
CABINET Minister James Purnell was under pressure last night to explain why he claimed £10,000 more in Parliamentary expenses than he paid in rent for his London flat.
The Welfare and Pensions Secretary, tipped as a future leader of the Labour Party, pocketed £10,143 more than the rent he was being charged on his second home in London.
A Sunday Express investigation has revealed that Mr Purnell submitted rent claims of up to £2,020 each month – yet bank records prove that he paid only £910 every month.
Hat-Tip to Barnacle Bill in the comments.
No ifs, no buts, have a look at this
ReplyDeleteWhy can't we leave these poor people in peace, they obviously have a lot of unexplainable expenses which they find hard to put on to paper. Why are the press hounding these poor bastards so? After all, they do a great job and why should we not, as taxpayers foot the bill????
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