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Revealed: London MPs claiming £9m expenses
NIcholas Cecil, Paul Waugh and Joe Murphy26.10.07
London MPs cost the taxpayer nearly £9 million for their expenses and allowances, a new analysis reveals today.
It also shows huge variations in what MPs in the capital are claiming, ranging from £173,691 by former Labour minister Joan Ryan, MP for the key marginal of Enfield North, to £93,238 by Tory whip and Uxbridge MP John Randall.
Seventy-three London MPs ran up a bill of £8,885,878 in 2006/07 for allowances and expenses which can be used for a second home, travel, office costs, staff, IT and other purchases - or £121,724 on average each.
Overall, the average bill for each politician representing a constituency in the capital is just over £200,000 a year once their £60,675 salary and the average taxpayer contribution of £17,779 for each MPs' pension last year is taken into account.
This is lower than the average cost of more than £210,000 for MPs as a whole, partly because many politicians with constituencies outside London run up higher bills for second homes and have higher travel costs.
Low-tax campaigners have accused MPs of failing to deliver value for money. However, the Labour politician who spent £35,000 on stamps last year today insisted it proved she was being a good constituency MP.
Mitcham & Morden MP Siobhain McDonagh, who sent out more than 100,000 letters, said: "It is really important to stay in touch with my constituents. Representing them is the reason why I stood for Parliament."
Ms McDonagh, who has a 12,560 majority, amassed a total bill for dispatching letters of £48,000, including £35,207 for stamps and £13,900 for stationery in 2006/07.
This was more than Hendon Labour MP Andrew Dismore's record bill for the previous year of £37,000 for stationery, including £25,146 on prepaid stamped envelopes.
Despite Ms McDonagh's postage bill, Ms Ryan topped the league table of expenses and allowances for London MPs, having previously been in second place.
The four highest spenders were Labour MPs, with Ms McDonagh second on £163,226, Brent North MP Barry Gardiner on £160,464 and Brent South MP Dawn Butler on £157,311. She was the fastest climber up from 13th place to fourth. The steepest fall was Mr Dismore, last year's most expensive MP in the capital, down to eighth. Beckenham MP Jacqui Lait, number four last year, drops to 22.
Propping up the league table is Tory MP for Uxbridge John Randall, on £93,238. "It may be something to do with running my own business over the years," said the MP whip, who commutes to work. Mr Randall and David Evennett, the Tory MP for Bexleyheath and Crayford, have taken the bottom two places for the second consecutive year, with the eight lowest places this year being Conservatives.
The official figures published yesterday showed the total bill for MPs was £87.6 million. MPs have now voted themselves a £10,000-a-year communications allowance, with a £7,000 cap on pre-paid stamped envelopes.
HOW MUCH DOES YOUR MP CLAIM?
| Total £: | Last year's position: | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan, Joan | Enfield North | 173691 | 2 |
| 2 | McDonagh, Siobhain | Mitcham and Morden | 163226 | 5 |
| 3 | Gardiner, Barry | Brent North | 160464 | 6 |
| 4 | Butler, Ms Dawn | Brent South | 157311 | 13 |
| 5 | Rosindell, Andrew | Romford | 153901 | 3 |
| 6 | Hodge, Rt Hon Margaret | Barking | 146301 | 16 |
| 7 | Vis, Dr Rudi | Finchley and Golder's Green | 145986 | 25 |
| 8 | Dismore, Mr Andrew | Hendon | 145146 | 1 |
| 9 | Thornberry, Ms Emily | Islington South and Finsbury | 141358 | 23 |
| 10 | Conway, Derek | Old Bexley & Sidcup | 140916 | 7 |
| 11 | Love, Mr Andy | Edmonton | 140213 | 9 |
| 12 | Gapes, Mike | Ilford South | 137220 | 8 |
| 13 | Cohen, Harry | Leyton & Wanstead | 136679 | 12 |
| 14 | Keen, Ann | Brentford and Isleworth | 135599 | 15 |
| 15 | Keen, Alan | Feltham and Heston | 135009 | 17 |
| 16 | Ottaway, Richard | Croydon South | 133430 | 24 |
| 17 | Austin, John | Erith & Thamesmead | 132497 | 14 |
| 18 | Featherstone, Lynne | Hornsey & Wood Green | 131123 | 27 |
| 19 | Khan, Mr Sadiq | Tooting | 131047 | 22 |
| 20 | Watkinson, Angela | Upminster | 130266 | 18 |
| 21 | Cruddas, Jon | Dagenham | 129956 | 11 |
| 22 | Lait, Mrs Jacqui | Beckenham | 129442 | 4 |
| 23 | Jackson, Glenda | Hampstead and Highgate | 129111 | 53 |
| 24 | Slaughter, Mr Andrew | Ealing Acton and Shepherd's Bush | 128907 | 34 |
| 25 | Corbyn, Jeremy | Islington North | 128434 | 38 |
| 26 | Linton, Martin | Battersea | 128363 | 21 |
| 27 | Thomas, Mr Gareth | Harrow East | 128172 | 20 |
| 28 | Davey, Mr Edward | Kingston and Surbiton | 126983 | 19 |
| 29 | Buck, Ms Karen | Regent's Park & Kensington North | 124750 | 26 |
| 30 | Brake, Tom | Carshalton & Wallington | 124384 | 30 |
| 31 | Brown, Lyn | West Ham | 124246 | 60 |
| 32 | McDonnell, John | Hayes and Harlington | 123921 | 10 |
| 33 | Villiers, Mrs Theresa | Chipping Barnet | 123222 | 45 |
| 34 | Hughes, Simon | Southwark N and Bermondsey | 123125 | 28 |
| 35 | Cable, Dr Vincent | Twickenham | 122242 | 32 |
| 36 | McNulty, Mr Tony | Harrow East | 121984 | 43 |
| 37 | Scott, Mr Lee | Ilford North | 119889 | 51 |
| 38 | Burrowes, Mr David | Enfield, Southgate | 119640 | 44 |
| 39 | Efford, Clive | Eltham | 119063 | 33 |
| 40 | Pound, Stephen | Ealing North | 118952 | 39 |
| 41 | Dowd, Jim | Lewisham West | 118829 | 49 |
| 42 | Wicks, Malcolm | Croydon North | 118700 | 61 |
| 43 | Hammond, Stephen | Wimbledon | 118501 | 67 |
| 44 | Ruddock, Joan | Lewisham Deptford | 118425 | 31 |
| 45 | Burstow, Mr Paul | Sutton & Cheam | 118118 | 37 |
| 46 | Kramer, Susan | Richmond Park | 117837 | 46 |
| 47 | Field, Mr Mark | Cities of London and Westminster | 117780 | 50 |
| 48 | Harman, Rt Hon Harriet | Camberwell & Peckham | 117452 | 40 |
| 49 | Teather, Sarah | Brentford South | 116312 | 41 |
| 50 | Jowell, Rt Hon Tessa | Dulwich and West Norwood | 116149 | 47 |
| 51 | Lammy, Mr David | Tottenham | 115836 | 42 |
| 52 | Abbott, Ms Diane | Hackney North & Stoke Newington | 115032 | 36 |
| 53 | Prentice, Bridget | Lewisham east | 114997 | 73 |
| 54 | Timms, Mr Stephen | East Ham | 114928 | 48 |
| 55 | Horam, Mr John | Orpington | 114285 | 35 |
| 56 | Hillier, Meg | Hackney South & Shoreditch | 113170 | 63 |
| 57 | Raynsford, Rt Hon Nick | Greenwich and Woolwich | 113020 | 54 |
| 58 | Pelling, Mr Andrew | Croydon Central | 112215 | 52 |
| 59 | Rifkind, Rt Hon Sir Malcolm | Kensington and Chelsea | 112122 | 65 |
| 60 | Dobson, Rt Hon Frank | Holborn & St Pancras | 110439 | 56 |
| 61 | Fitzpatrick, Jim | Poplar & Canning Town | 110307 | 62 |
| 62 | Hill, Rt Hon Keith | Streatham | 109817 | 58 |
| 63 | Hoey, Kate | Vauxhall | 108805 | 55 |
| 64 | Galloway, Mr George | Bethnal Green & Bow | 107610 | 57 |
| 65 | Gerrard, Mr Neil | Walthamstow | 106986 | 66 |
| 66 | Hurd, Mr Nick | Ruislip Northwood | 105176 | 70 |
| 67 | Duncan Smith, Rt Hon Iain | Chingford & Woodford Green | 104339 | 59 |
| 68 | Neill, Bob | Bromley and Chislehurst | 102155 | n/a |
| 69 | Hands, Mr Greg | Hammersmith & Fulham | 101383 | 68 |
| 70 | Greening, Justine | Putney | 101345 | 64 |
| 71 | Brokenshire, James | Hornchurch | 100210 | 69 |
| 72 | Evennett, Mr David | Bexleyheath & Crayford | 99337 | 72 |
| 73 | Randall, Mr John | Uxbridge | 93238 | 71 |
Reader views (9)
As a local resident in Enfield I am disgusted with Joan Ryan,she is so busy claiming her obscene expenses whilst doing nothing to stop her Labour cronies from shutting down the Chase Farm Hospital's A&E.We all know where their priorities are and that is to their deep pockets.
- Richard Reynolds, Enfield
all m .P
are over PAYED FOR THE WORK THEY DO
IT NOT WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR THE UK
WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR THEIR SELFS
IF I DIDNOT GO TO WORK I DID NOT GET PAY
BUT THE M.P DO
YOU NO LONGER REPENTANCE THE PEOPLE I SAY GET LOSS
- Alfred.Cowdry, london
So it looks that those that condemn, demonise and isolate those on welfare , telling the rest of the public how they are going to eradicate the " Culture of Dependency" are after the greatest exponents of this culture after all.
Isn't sickning that, since JSA is taxable income counting against the yearly tax free allowance, I have to subsidise this bunch of sleazeballs.
As said above let's them prove they are not on the take
- P.J.Bonnell, London
Those who are in agreement with these expenses are most likely doing a similar thing. I don't understand why individual MPs have to claim back things like stamps, Even lawyers can provide pre paid envelopes that their clients get charged for later. The fact this has been kept a secret tells us its suspect.
Does the government not have any organisational skills, or perhaps the NHS (for example) should follow and all fill in separate expense forms for travelling to work and taking patients out and any phone calls to anyone concerning their line of work.
I believe it's selfish and contributing to the countries difficulties. While we all want the best for our families there is enough for all of us to survive if people only take what is due to them.
Excuse my ignorance but what is the process of becoming an MP? Surely there is some kind of statement about what is allowed in expenses. There is certainly plenty of red tape and rules for the rest or us if we legally try to claim what is rightfully ours, so much so that usually a lawyer is needed. For example if we have done what is suggested and work hard, paid tax and been fortunate enough to save money, we still have to pay the government more from our money when we are 6ft under(or cremated) is that because they did not take enough off us when we are alive? (maybe they hope we give to charity then they don't have to be responsible)
I don't mean to offend anyone and would be glad to be corrected on any of the above.
- Jacob, Sunny Scotland
MP's whose expenses are high are those who have regular contact with their constituents and engage properly with the electorate they are there to represent. MP's expenses do not cover luxuries or lunches. Good MP's employ caseworkers who help their constituents with often very complex and serious issues. Isn't that what their job is?
- Suzan Hassan, London England
Make them produce receipt for everything, I demand this as a tax payer.
Joan Ryan should be made to account who she used the stamps to correspond with.
They are all fiddling, let them prove they are not.
They are all on the gravy train at our expense.
- Irene Wainwright, Chingford England
I think we have too many MPs. The time has come for a review of the work they do and what they achieve.
- Ian, London
I just do not know how these MPs make ends meet. What with high salaries, great pensions and all the perks. Do they not think about the rest of us struggling ?
- G, London
As long as MP's spend the money wisely and in the interests of their constituents what the problem? They have to send letters to all sorts and respond to the person in whose benefit they are acting.
I am glad it goes up, it if went down there would be complaints too so seems like they can't win...
- Gary Martin, London, UK
