In 2013/2014 IPSA records reveal there were only 13 MPs who claimed for security measures at their accommodation. The MPs, the Party they represent, with amounts claimed, are set out below:
David Willetts, Havant BC, CON, £2157.50
Stephen Phillips, Sleaford and North Hykeham CC, CON, £2110.80
Margaret Beckett, Derby South BC, LAB, £1383.47
Nicholas Soames, Mid Sussex CC, CON, £1134.06
Peter Hain, Neath CC, LAB, £1061.40
Andrew Robathan, South Leicestershire CC, CON, £895.20
Alan Duncan, Rutland and Melton CC, CON, £833.05
Henry Bellingham, North West Norfolk CC, CON, £724.18
Alan Meale, Mansfield CC, LAB, £274.80
Ken Clarke, Rushcliffe CC, CON, £256.80
Brian Donohoe, Central Ayrshire CC, LAB, £170.40
Robert Walter,North Dorset CC, CON, £40.80
Emma Lewell-Buck, South Shields BC, LAB £10.00
8 Tories and 5 Labour MPs. No Lib Dems, no SNP, no PC - no-one from other Parties in that list.
In the case of David Willetts there are claims for both 2013 and 2014 that have appeared in the same financial year, and in the case of Stephen Phillips, the bulk of the claim appears to relate to the INSTALLATION of a new alarm system.
Just 13 MPs have claimed under this expenses heading yet there are 650 MPs in Parliament. So why is this, do you reckon? Are there well over 600 MPs who do not have a security system at their homes? I doubt it. I would have thought that there are dozens of others, maybe hundreds that have some sort of home security system - but only 13 have claimed. I don't know the reasons why the others don't claim. Maybe it's a point of principle with them not to claim what for many would be relatively small amounts, especially when the public are now scrutinising their expenses.
Remember that not all MPs choose to claim their heating costs back off the taxpayer. 340 out of the 650 MPs claimed their heating costs in that cold winter of 2012/2013, when lots of us shivered because we couldn't afford the gas bills, but some MPs probably walked around their homes half naked judging by the claims they put in. That was an interesting list too and to jog people's memories I have printed below the highest 20 claimants in that list.
Nadhim Zahawi, Stratford-on-Avon, Conservative, £5,822.27, Electricity Other fuel
Andrew Robathan, Leicestershire South, Conservative, £4,586.80, Electricity Other Fuel
Peter Hain, Neath, Labour, £4,571.74, Electricity Other fuel
Alan Duncan, Rutland & Melton, Conservative, £3,998.06, Electricity Other Fuel
Dame Margaret Beckett, Derby South, Labour, £3,960.00, Gas & Electricity
Edward Leigh, Gainsborough, Conservative, £3,337.09, Gas & Electricity
Mel Stride, Devon Central, Conservative, £3,223.64, Gas & Electricity
Hugo Swire, Devon East, Conservative, £3,198.61, Gas & Oil
David Willetts, Havant, Conservative, £2,596.00, Gas & Electricity
Elizabeth Truss, Norfolk South West, Conservative, £2,579.67, Gas & Electricity
Alan Meale, Mansfield, Labour, £2,578.92, Gas & Electricity
Mary Creagh, Wakefield, Labour, £2,182.00, Gas
Graham Brady, Altrincham & Sale West, Conservative, £2,158.65, Gas & Electricity
Maria Miller, Basingstoke, Conservative, £2,011.00, Electricity
Hugh Bayley, York Central, Labour, £1,773.93, Gas logs/coal
Robert Walter, Dorset North, Conservative, £1,661.52, Gas & Electricity
Chris Bryant, Rhondda, Labour, £1,626.30, Electricity
Christopher Chope, Christchurch, Conservative, £1,531.31, Gas & Electricity
Jack Dromey, Birmingham Erdington, Labour, £1,520.38, Electricity
Henry Bellingham, Norfolk North West, Conservative, £1,518.34, Gas & Electricity
Nadhim Zadhawi has been relegated from first place, as we know, for wrongly claiming to heat a mobile home and stables as well. Maria Miller has made the news since as well, hasn't she, again on matters expenses related? Jack Dromey in case you don't know is the husband of Harriet Harman, so that family can't be doing too badly on the old expenses front either.
When you see twenty names laid out like that you can't help but notice yet again they comprise just two Political Parties. There are 13 Tories, 7 Labour. What is it about these Parties in particular when it comes to expenses?
Now look at the names on the energy claims list again and compare to the first (the security claim) list. Any names pop up in both? I'll make it easy for you.
Appearing in both lists are:
David Willetts (C) Margaret Beckett (L) Peter Hain (L) Andrew Robathan (C) Alan Duncan (C) Henry Bellingham (C) Alan Meale (L) Robert Walter (C)
Eight of the "security" claimants are in the top twenty of the 340 "energy" claimants. Coincidence? Or could it be that the type of person that would shamelessly claim thousands of pounds to heat their home whilst the rest of us are hit hard by sky-high energy costs and austerity, would think nothing of claiming their alarm systems on their manorial piles on us as well. And in the case of Willetts, Beckett and Hain, quite incredible, four figure sums. You could install an alarm system with what they are paying year by year, as evidenced by the claim of Stephen Phillips. I hope the Labour MPs Margaret Beckett, Peter Hain and Alan Meale are proud of themselves, yet again in amongst that elite list of money grabbing, Tory millionaires. 257 Labour MPs in Parliament and these sorry three have the dubious honour of appearing in both lists. I wonder how many of the people who put a "X" against their names at the ballot box would have done so if they knew they would go on to screw every possible penny out of their expenses?
When Christina Rees got the vote to be the next Parliamentary candidate for Labour in Neath, the President of Neath CLP said she'd be a breath of fresh air. I'd like to think he's right. Because there's an overwhelming stench of entitlement and hypocrisy been spewing out of 39 Windsor Road and Aberdulais, and it's been polluting the town and surrounding areas for too long. However, I reckon with Hain's old muckers still hanging around, even if our new MP was as "fragrant" as Mary Archer, I don't think it will clear the air. The old Labour Guard will still be clinging to their parochial empires, and Hain himself has stated he intends to stay in Neath. You've as much chance of cleaning things up with that lot still about as you would of cleaning the Augean stables.
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Stop Press
The security claims for this financial year 2014/2015 are only available up to the end of May 2014 from IPSA. To date only 3 MPs feature on it.
One is Robert Walter, Conservative MP (see above) - claimed £132.00. He was in the list of 13 featured above. Then unsurprisingly, two of the usual Labour suspects appear again. Margaret Beckett claimed £15.99 as a monthly payment for her alarm line. Then it's Peter Hain, claimed £960.66 under the heading "Intruder Alarm System". Early days yet - expect those Tories to appear again, and more claims from Beckett and Hain?
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