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- TPA says MPs "should be ashamed of themselves"
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- Increase per MP calculated by TPA
- TPA calls on Commons authorities to follow Scottish Parliament in revealing itemised expenses
Responding to the publication of MPs’ expense claims for 2006-07 today, the TaxPayers' Alliance described the rises as “extortionate”. TPA Chief Executive Matthew Elliott said:
“MPs should be ashamed of themselves. Families are struggling to pay higher tax bills whilst MPs are spending more and more of our money on themselves each year. What’s worse is that they won’t even give us a full itemised breakdown of their expenses as MSPs do in Scotland. No wonder voters have little respect for politicians when they see so many MPs with their snouts in the trough.”
The TPA has compared this year’s expense claims to last year and has produced a ranking of all the MPs by their overall increase. This analysis reveals that the MPs who increased their claims the most are:
NB: Sinn Fein MPs are excluded from this list given the dispute over their expenses that occurred recently, which reduces the 2005-06 figures, thereby inflating the increases.
Contact the TaxPayers' Alliance if you wish to see the full rankings.
The TaxPayers’ Alliance has been campaigning for the House of Commons authorities to publish MPs’ expense claims in full, to include a breakdown of all receipts and invoices, as occurs in the Scottish Parliament.
Heather Brooke, freedom of information campaigner and TPA supporter, said:
"The totals published today are merely the tip of the iceberg. If the Government is serious about open government then it needs to follow the Scottish example and publish a detailed breakdown of all claims. Instead we find the House of Commons spending thousands of pounds on expensive lawyers battling to keep secret the details of how MPs spend the public's money. What have they got to hide?"