Politicians in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords have spent an astonishing £230,000 of taxpayers' money on a selection of paintings and busts to adorn their offices, the Sun has revealed. Former Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett posed for a painting in Parliament costing taxpayers £12,000 and 19th Century PM William Gladstone has a £23,000 bust in his honour. But not all MPs indulged, Labour’s Deputy Leader Harriet Harman was also in line for a £12,000 portrait but snubbed the offer at the last minute.
In total MPs billed taxpayers for £55,000 worth of art but peers were responsible for the lion’s share, clocking up £175,000. With the country mired in recession it is incredible that politicians remain so out of touch with hard-pressed families. The Parliamentary authorities need to clamp down on this to ensure that taxpayers aren’t forced to pick up yet another bill for these lavish projects.Politicians in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords have spent an astonishing £230,000 of taxpayers' money on a selection of paintings and busts to adorn their offices, the Sun has revealed. Former Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett posed for a painting in Parliament costing taxpayers £12,000 and 19th Century PM William Gladstone has a £23,000 bust in his honour. But not all MPs indulged, Labour’s Deputy Leader Harriet Harman was also in line for a £12,000 portrait but snubbed the offer at the last minute.
In total MPs billed taxpayers for £55,000 worth of art but peers were responsible for the lion’s share, clocking up £175,000. With the country mired in recession it is incredible that politicians remain so out of touch with hard-pressed families. The Parliamentary authorities need to clamp down on this to ensure that taxpayers aren’t forced to pick up yet another bill for these lavish projects.
In total MPs billed taxpayers for £55,000 worth of art but peers were responsible for the lion’s share, clocking up £175,000. With the country mired in recession it is incredible that politicians remain so out of touch with hard-pressed families. The Parliamentary authorities need to clamp down on this to ensure that taxpayers aren’t forced to pick up yet another bill for these lavish projects.Politicians in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords have spent an astonishing £230,000 of taxpayers' money on a selection of paintings and busts to adorn their offices, the Sun has revealed. Former Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett posed for a painting in Parliament costing taxpayers £12,000 and 19th Century PM William Gladstone has a £23,000 bust in his honour. But not all MPs indulged, Labour’s Deputy Leader Harriet Harman was also in line for a £12,000 portrait but snubbed the offer at the last minute.
In total MPs billed taxpayers for £55,000 worth of art but peers were responsible for the lion’s share, clocking up £175,000. With the country mired in recession it is incredible that politicians remain so out of touch with hard-pressed families. The Parliamentary authorities need to clamp down on this to ensure that taxpayers aren’t forced to pick up yet another bill for these lavish projects.