MP Bob Russell's claim amongst lowest in Britain!
May 16, 2009 12:00 AM
With the controversy over MPs expenses claims continuing to grab the headlines, it can be revealed that Colchester MP Bob Russell has one of the lowest in the country.
For the last financial year Mr Russell claimed £6,400 to cover his costs of living in London - £17,600 less than the £24,000 maximum which many MPs are claiming.
Liberal Democrat Mr Russell, who has one of the highest attendance records at the House of Commons, commented: "Short of sleeping in my office, I do not think I could get it any lower."
He said that he was "shocked, saddened and sickened" by revelations of expense claims made by several Members of Parliament, principally over what is known as the "second homes allowance".
And Mr Russell today repeated his call for Parliament to provide accommodation, similar to that of the new Merville Barracks in Colchester, for MPs to stay in overnight.
He made his comments in the wake of further disclosures of how some MPs, including Labour members of the Cabinet and Conservative MPs in the Shadow Cabinet, had claimed thousands of pounds with the main area of criticism centred around how several MPs had used generous allowances to refurbish and furnish "second homes" by using measures which he said were clearly not in the spirit of why they are available - namely to enable an MP to undertake his or her work on behalf of constituents.
Mr Russell shares a small flat in South London with fellow Lib-Dem MP Mike Hancock who represents Portsmouth South, a situation which both MPs consider is by far the cheapest option. It is three miles from Westminster, and Mr Russell travels by bus each morning and evening.
"We are talking here about money from the public purse. Had I continued to live in hotels then the cost would be double this, but the arrangement which Mike Hancock and I have had for the past five years shows that it is possible for an MP to live considerably cheaper than £24,000 a year which is what a lot of MPs seem to be claiming."
He said that in addition to accommodation blocks for MPs the rules should be amended so that MPs could only claim for a place in London as their "second home". At the moment it can be anywhere. "An MP's main home should be in his or her constituency. Too many MPs are not local to their constituents."
Mr Russell reserved his strongest criticism for those MPs who had "flipped" from one property to another as being registered as their "main home" in order to claim "second home" allowances at different addresses so that refurbishment work was funded by the public purse at each.
"My wife and I have lived at the same house in Colchester for 40 years. That is my main home, although when the House of Commons is sitting my time is broadly split 50-50 between Colchester and London. I need somewhere in London. But I don't need to spend £24,000. I have shown it can be done considerably cheaper. Why do so many other MPs claim so much?"
Mr Russell added: "I do not live a lavish lifestyle. I have seen student flats better furnished than my flat. I only need to sleep there. Last week, for example, I was at the Commons by 7am each morning and did not leave until gone 11pm. On Tuesday I did a 16 hour day; on Wednesday it was 17 hours. Last night (Monday) Big Ben was striking midnight as I left; I was back at my desk this morning at 6.45am. Most weeks I put in 80 hours, in London and in Colchester, with a seven-day week."
Official House of Commons records confirm that Mr Russell has one of the highest voting attendance records, and over the 12 years he has been Colchester's MP he has regularly registered the best record of any Opposition MP in Britain.
He observed: "Sadly, the disclosures have resulted in all MPs being tarnished. This is not fair, but that's life.
"No doubt if someone bent on making mischief were to go through my claims they may find something to unfairly have a go at - but I like to think that all fair-minded people would consider that the sums I have claimed are modest in comparison with others whose workload is less than mine, and that what I have claimed has been in order to enable me undertake my work as an MP on behalf of the town and people of Colchester."
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