gmb45
19th June, 2009, 06:09 AM
WESTMINSTER was braced for more resignations last night as fresh details were published showing how MPs have plundered the Commons expenses system.
Huge amounts of wrong-doing were covered up by the censors? black ink.
But still what was left revealed how honourable members seized taxpayers? money to pay for everything from novelty wigs to thousands of Christmas cards.
Labour insiders expect at least 50 of their MPs to stand down with the Tories also expecting a flurry of resignations later this year.
Taxpayer-funded extravagances which were revealed yesterday included one senior MP spending over ?1,700 a month on his mobile phone bill.
Many of the claims which have never been seen before are bizarre.
At least two senior MPs billed the taxpayer for locksmiths when they locked themselves out.
Others are petty in the extreme. One MP billed taxpayers for a 12-second phone call that cost him 1p. Processing the claim will have cost taxpayers hundreds of times as much in staff and computer costs.
And a multi-millionaire Cabinet minister billed the taxpayer for the cost of a cup of coffee and a crunch corner dessert costing less than ?3.
Yesterday?s revelations show MPs plundered not just the infamous second homes allowance but also allowances supposed to help with computer costs or with keeping constituents informed.
Claims under those allowances included MPs spending hundreds of pounds on glossy photographs of themselves or designer laptop bags costing almost ?400.
Reading material billed to taxpayers included a subscription to Practical Poultry monthly.
One minister in charge of a budget of hundreds of billions of pounds charged for a book ? a primer on economics.
Huge amounts of wrong-doing were covered up by the censors? black ink.
But still what was left revealed how honourable members seized taxpayers? money to pay for everything from novelty wigs to thousands of Christmas cards.
Labour insiders expect at least 50 of their MPs to stand down with the Tories also expecting a flurry of resignations later this year.
Taxpayer-funded extravagances which were revealed yesterday included one senior MP spending over ?1,700 a month on his mobile phone bill.
Many of the claims which have never been seen before are bizarre.
At least two senior MPs billed the taxpayer for locksmiths when they locked themselves out.
Others are petty in the extreme. One MP billed taxpayers for a 12-second phone call that cost him 1p. Processing the claim will have cost taxpayers hundreds of times as much in staff and computer costs.
And a multi-millionaire Cabinet minister billed the taxpayer for the cost of a cup of coffee and a crunch corner dessert costing less than ?3.
Yesterday?s revelations show MPs plundered not just the infamous second homes allowance but also allowances supposed to help with computer costs or with keeping constituents informed.
Claims under those allowances included MPs spending hundreds of pounds on glossy photographs of themselves or designer laptop bags costing almost ?400.
Reading material billed to taxpayers included a subscription to Practical Poultry monthly.
One minister in charge of a budget of hundreds of billions of pounds charged for a book ? a primer on economics.