MPs: the best and worst value revealed
By Robert Watts and Ben Leapman - Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 1:28am GMT 28/10/2007
The MPs who provide the best – and worst – value for taxpayers' money has been revealed.
# How much expenses did your MP claim?
# Have your say: What do you think of MPs' expenses?
Best and worst value: Philip Hollobone and Clare Short
The Sunday Telegraph's league table exposes the politicians who do the least work while submitting the biggest expenses claims, as well as those who work the hardest for the lowest cost.
The best-value MP is shown to be Philip Hollobone, a backbench Conservative who has no staff at Westminster and handles all his own casework. He had the lowest expenses claim of any MP last year while maintaining an attendance record that is well above average.
At the other end of the table are two Left-wing rebels, Clare Short and George Galloway, who seldom take part in votes or speak in debates, yet who each claimed more than £100,000 in expenses last year.
At his constituency surgery yesterday, Mr Hollobone said it was "nice to know" he had been judged the best-value MP. "I attach a lot of importance to attending the chamber, making contributions to debates, and voting," he said. "I feel that if I am not there to vote on behalf of my constituents, nobody else can."
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Miss Short said: "My secretary and I are extremely good value. Your figures do not take account of the enormous amount of casework we do in the constituency. I don't attend the Commons more often because it has become a farce with MPs only ever voting with their party." Mr Galloway did not return our call.
MPs faced criticism last week when new figures showed that they shared a total of £87 million in expenses last year, an increase of five per cent on the previous year.
Matthew Elliot, chief executive of the pressure group the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "This league table blows apart the claim by MPs that they need more resources and more expenses so that they can perform better for their constituents. People should look at tables like this when they decide how to vote."
Our analysis is based on a House of Commons breakdown of how much was claimed by more than 640 MPs. We also take into account how hard each one works, as measured by their voting attendance; how often they speak in debates, and the number of written questions they put to ministers.
We exclude Cabinet ministers and opposition leaders, whose many official duties often take them away from Westminster. Also excluded are the Speaker, his deputies, and MPs who recently won their seats in by-elections.
Charles Kennedy, the former Liberal Democrat leader, is included as he was not a party leader in the period measured. His seat is in Scotland, where MPs say they are disadvantaged by the higher cost of travelling to far-flung constituencies, but the four worst performers in our table all sit for English seats within 120 miles of Westminster.
MPs are entitled to claim back money spent on travel, staff wages, postage, office equipment and the cost of running a second home.
The money is paid on top of their basic salary of £60,277 for backbenchers, more for ministers and government whips.
Some claim that money spent on staff and postage enables them to work harder for their constituents.
The Parliamentary authorities have launched a legal attempt to stop The Sunday Telegraph using the Freedom of Information Act to obtain details of how much MPs claim for mortgage interest, hotel bills, furniture and -groceries.
The Best
1. Philip Hollobone, Kettering Conservative
Since being elected in 2005, Mr Hollobone has been a frequent debater and questioner in the Commons and has instigated several special Parliamentary debates on subjects including fatherhood and the care of children, policing and NHS dentists. The thrifty former paratrooper with the Territorial Army does all his own paperwork instead of employing an assistant. Value rating (cost per unit of work — a lower rating means better value): £347.
2. Dennis Skinner, Bolsover Labour
A parliamentary court jester and crusader, Mr Skinner is nicknamed the “Beast of Bolsover” for his bruising debating style and hard-Left views. The former miner, who was the last known defender of Arthur Scargill, is a regular in the Commons. He has voted in 94 per cent of votes in the House in the past year, which is well above the average among MPs. Value rating: £642.
3. Sir Nicholas Winterton, Macclesfield, Conservative
A political veteran, Sir Nicholas was knighted in 2002 for services to Parliament. One of the most active MPs, he is the senior member of the Speaker’s Panel of Chairmen, chairs the Procedure Select Committee and serves as the senior Tory member of the Modernisation Select Committee and the Liaison Committee. Spoke in 138 debates in the past year. Value rating: £867.
The Worst
1. Clare Short, Birmingham Ladywood, Labour
Few criticised Tony Blair more fiercely than Ms Short when he was prime minister. The former international development secretary resigned the Labour whip last year and said she would continue as an Independent Labour MP, but plans to stand down at the next election. Her Parliamentary record is poor – she has spoken in just seven debates in the past year. Value rating: £12,640.
2. George Galloway, Bethnal Green and Bow, Respect
The Scot is something of a TV personality after colourful appearances on Question Time and Celebrity Big Brother. He has attended Parliament for just 12 per cent of divisions over the past year, although he has just completed an 18-day suspension from the House of Commons, following an investigation into a charity he ran to provide aid to Iraqis. Value rating: £7,049.
3. Mark Oaten, Winchester, Liberal Democrat
Once a party leadership candidate and rising star as Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, Mr Oaten fell from grace last year when a tabloid exposed his involvement with male prostitutes. He has announced that he will stand down at the next election. Despite claiming £141,435 expenses, he has spoken in only four debates over the past year. Value rating: £3,486.Barrie runs the parking ticket appeal website AppealNow.com
Remember you can fight back against illegally issued parking tickets.
If you want to appeal such a parking ticket but don't know how - then visit
http://www.appealnow.com
where you can appeal online in 4½ minutes.
© 2006 & 2007 Barrie Segal - All Rights reserved
Barrie Segal is the founder of AppealNow.com™ and is a regular radio broadcaster in the UK.
Barrie is the author of The Parking Ticket Awards: Crazy Councils, Meter Madness and Traffic Warden Hell
publishing date 1st August 2007 - click on the title to order
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Last Updated: 1:28am GMT 28/10/2007
The MPs who provide the best – and worst – value for taxpayers' money has been revealed.
# How much expenses did your MP claim?
# Have your say: What do you think of MPs' expenses?
Best and worst value: Philip Hollobone and Clare Short
The Sunday Telegraph's league table exposes the politicians who do the least work while submitting the biggest expenses claims, as well as those who work the hardest for the lowest cost.
The best-value MP is shown to be Philip Hollobone, a backbench Conservative who has no staff at Westminster and handles all his own casework. He had the lowest expenses claim of any MP last year while maintaining an attendance record that is well above average.
At the other end of the table are two Left-wing rebels, Clare Short and George Galloway, who seldom take part in votes or speak in debates, yet who each claimed more than £100,000 in expenses last year.
At his constituency surgery yesterday, Mr Hollobone said it was "nice to know" he had been judged the best-value MP. "I attach a lot of importance to attending the chamber, making contributions to debates, and voting," he said. "I feel that if I am not there to vote on behalf of my constituents, nobody else can."
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Miss Short said: "My secretary and I are extremely good value. Your figures do not take account of the enormous amount of casework we do in the constituency. I don't attend the Commons more often because it has become a farce with MPs only ever voting with their party." Mr Galloway did not return our call.
MPs faced criticism last week when new figures showed that they shared a total of £87 million in expenses last year, an increase of five per cent on the previous year.
Matthew Elliot, chief executive of the pressure group the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "This league table blows apart the claim by MPs that they need more resources and more expenses so that they can perform better for their constituents. People should look at tables like this when they decide how to vote."
Our analysis is based on a House of Commons breakdown of how much was claimed by more than 640 MPs. We also take into account how hard each one works, as measured by their voting attendance; how often they speak in debates, and the number of written questions they put to ministers.
We exclude Cabinet ministers and opposition leaders, whose many official duties often take them away from Westminster. Also excluded are the Speaker, his deputies, and MPs who recently won their seats in by-elections.
Charles Kennedy, the former Liberal Democrat leader, is included as he was not a party leader in the period measured. His seat is in Scotland, where MPs say they are disadvantaged by the higher cost of travelling to far-flung constituencies, but the four worst performers in our table all sit for English seats within 120 miles of Westminster.
MPs are entitled to claim back money spent on travel, staff wages, postage, office equipment and the cost of running a second home.
The money is paid on top of their basic salary of £60,277 for backbenchers, more for ministers and government whips.
Some claim that money spent on staff and postage enables them to work harder for their constituents.
The Parliamentary authorities have launched a legal attempt to stop The Sunday Telegraph using the Freedom of Information Act to obtain details of how much MPs claim for mortgage interest, hotel bills, furniture and -groceries.
The Best
1. Philip Hollobone, Kettering Conservative
Since being elected in 2005, Mr Hollobone has been a frequent debater and questioner in the Commons and has instigated several special Parliamentary debates on subjects including fatherhood and the care of children, policing and NHS dentists. The thrifty former paratrooper with the Territorial Army does all his own paperwork instead of employing an assistant. Value rating (cost per unit of work — a lower rating means better value): £347.
2. Dennis Skinner, Bolsover Labour
A parliamentary court jester and crusader, Mr Skinner is nicknamed the “Beast of Bolsover” for his bruising debating style and hard-Left views. The former miner, who was the last known defender of Arthur Scargill, is a regular in the Commons. He has voted in 94 per cent of votes in the House in the past year, which is well above the average among MPs. Value rating: £642.
3. Sir Nicholas Winterton, Macclesfield, Conservative
A political veteran, Sir Nicholas was knighted in 2002 for services to Parliament. One of the most active MPs, he is the senior member of the Speaker’s Panel of Chairmen, chairs the Procedure Select Committee and serves as the senior Tory member of the Modernisation Select Committee and the Liaison Committee. Spoke in 138 debates in the past year. Value rating: £867.
The Worst
1. Clare Short, Birmingham Ladywood, Labour
Few criticised Tony Blair more fiercely than Ms Short when he was prime minister. The former international development secretary resigned the Labour whip last year and said she would continue as an Independent Labour MP, but plans to stand down at the next election. Her Parliamentary record is poor – she has spoken in just seven debates in the past year. Value rating: £12,640.
2. George Galloway, Bethnal Green and Bow, Respect
The Scot is something of a TV personality after colourful appearances on Question Time and Celebrity Big Brother. He has attended Parliament for just 12 per cent of divisions over the past year, although he has just completed an 18-day suspension from the House of Commons, following an investigation into a charity he ran to provide aid to Iraqis. Value rating: £7,049.
3. Mark Oaten, Winchester, Liberal Democrat
Once a party leadership candidate and rising star as Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, Mr Oaten fell from grace last year when a tabloid exposed his involvement with male prostitutes. He has announced that he will stand down at the next election. Despite claiming £141,435 expenses, he has spoken in only four debates over the past year. Value rating: £3,486.Barrie runs the parking ticket appeal website AppealNow.com
Remember you can fight back against illegally issued parking tickets.
If you want to appeal such a parking ticket but don't know how - then visit
http://www.appealnow.com
where you can appeal online in 4½ minutes.
© 2006 & 2007 Barrie Segal - All Rights reserved
Barrie Segal is the founder of AppealNow.com™ and is a regular radio broadcaster in the UK.
Barrie is the author of The Parking Ticket Awards: Crazy Councils, Meter Madness and Traffic Warden Hell
publishing date 1st August 2007 - click on the title to order
posted by AppealNow.com™ at 12:28 AM
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