MPs are claiming 21 per cent more taxpayer-funded expenses than when spending scandal was exposed 10 years ago
The total paid out last year was £116 million - up more than a fifth on the figure that sparked public outrage
BIG-spending MPs are claiming more taxpayer-funded expenses than when the scandal was exposed ten years ago.
The total paid out last year was £116 million - up more than a fifth on the figure that sparked public outrage.
The latest claims show Britain’s richest MP, Richard Benyon, bought a £6.80 toilet seat for his constituency office from Wilko in August 2017 - then another a month later for £10.87.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn spent £180 on artwork for a “Jeremy Corbyn MP calendar”.
New analysis suggests claims are back at pre-scandal levels when after inflation is taken into account.
The 2009 crisis led to a collapse of public faith in politicians, which some observers say was a factor which led to Brexit.
Tory Newbury MP Mr Benyon said: “I don’t claim for any housing expenses or many other costs that I could entirely legitimately claim for.
“I hope you will make that clear. I’m sure your readers don’t expect to pay for their office loo seats.”
Tough rules were brought in after the scandal in which MPs claimed £95.6 million expenses in 2008-9.
Claimed fell to £86 million in the first year after they were introduced in 2010 but they have steadily crept up.
And claims have steadily crept up ever since - reaching £116m last year.
The disclosure comes just days after Chris Davies, the Conservative MP for Brecon and Radnorshire, pleaded guilty to two false expenses charges.
He faces the prospect of being kicked out of parliament if 10% of his constituents sign a petition demanding a by-election.
Figures published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority of approved expenses claims reveal that one of the big increases in spending was on staffing costs.
This was partly due to the intro higher minimum wage in 2015 and the decline of unpaid internships.
Staff costs accounted for 63 per cent of spending in 2008-9 but this had jumped to three-quarters of spending (74.4%) by 2017-18.
MOST READ IN POLITICS
Despite the scandal — which forced six ministerial resignations and led to the imprisonment of five MPs — they have continued to dodge expense rules and claim for first-class travel.
A total of 389 MPs — more than half of those elected to the Commons — were ordered to repay a total of £1.1m to the taxpayer in erroneously claimed expense claims.
Since 2010, MPs spent £4.8 million of taxpayers’ money on first-class train tickets and £2.3 million on business-class flights.
According to Ipsa’s rules, MPs may buy a ticket of “any class” but will be reimbursed only for the cost of an “economy class ticket available at the time of booking”.
John O'Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "It's deeply disappointing that 10 years on, the overall cost to taxpayers for expenses hasn't come down."
QUEEN'S KEY CHAT
WORDS from the Queen inspired the Daily Telegraph to keep digging into the 2009 expenses scandal, its ex-editor said.
Will Lewis told BBC1’s Newsnight they spoke at the Chelsea Flower Show.
He said the chat gave him the “resolution to continue until the end”.
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