MPs’ claims for groceries

Feb 12 2008 by Susan Taylor, The Journal

IN the wake of the Conway affair it has emerged that MPs are entitled to claim £400 a month for groceries.

Furthermore, they don’t have to produce receipts for any item under £250, which means they only need to own up about their Beluga caviar.

In addition they can claim for all sorts of household expenses the rest of us have to bear out of our wages or benefits. Have we all gone mad? Most people in this country can’t afford anything like £100 a week to feed a family. Surely MPs can fend for themselves while they’re drawing what we’re told is an average of £136,000 per year in expenses on top of pretty fat salaries.

Quite apart from that they needn’t turn up for work if they don’t feel like it. There were only 13 members in the House last week when they were discussing the European Union Treaty, something which will affect the futures of every one of their constituents.

I know that some MPs work very hard and do care for the people they represent, I know they need staff to support that work, but I still don’t think they’re entitled to groceries. And I do think all parties need to weed out the freeloaders. They should do it quickly before we lose the last vestige of faith in an institution which most of us have hitherto held in veneration.