THE M.E.N. today reveals how Greater Manchester MPs and their opponents spent tens of thousands of pounds fighting the election.

Expenses papers returned by candidates detail the spiralling costs of the battle for some of the region’s hardest-fought seats.

None of the spending involves tax payers’ cash. Most of it is covered by donations from local branches of the various political parties.

But we can also reveal the high-profile backers that some MPs enjoy, including Manchester Central MP Tony Lloyd, whose campaign had financial support from property developers Tom Bloxham and the Opal Property Group.

However, the files also show money cannot buy victory. Former Lib Dem MP Paul Rowen spent almost £30,000 – double his Labour rival Simon Danczuk – but failed to hold his Rochdale seat.

Tory candidate Deborah Dunleavy spent £34,685 trying to win Bolton North East. She failed to take it from Labour MP David Crausby, who spent £19,319.

Lucy Powell, the Labour candidate in Manchester Withington, spent almost £10,000 more than her Lib Dem opponent, sitting MP John Leech, but lost out by almost 2,000 votes.

Ms Powell spent £36,714 compared to Mr Leech’s £27,761.

In Oldham East and Saddleworth, defeated Lib Dem candidate Elwyn Watkins spent £36,246 – only a few thousand pounds short of the maximum allowed. The Labour victor, Phil Woolas, spent a paltry £13,722 in comparison, including £81 on helium gas for balloons.

In Oldham West and Royton, winner Michael Meacher spent just £7,197, Lib Dem Mark Alcock spent £6,961 while Conservative Kamran Ghafoor spent £11,460 – £6,000 of which was his own money.

New Tory MP David Nuttall won Bury North, despite spending less than £13,000.

That compares with the £30,000 spent by Labour opponent, Maryam Khan, who was trying to retain the seat for the party after David Chaytor stepped down.

Mr Nuttall said: "Money spent in the few weeks before the election cannot compete with commitment and time spent in the constituency."

Cheadle appeared to be an exception to the rule as Conservative Ben Jeffreys spent £28,909 trying to claim Lib Dem Mark Hunter’s seat, but the MP hung on by 443 votes after spending £29,639.

Candidates have to submit details of their spending which are checked and held by local authorities. Anyone can apply to view them.

Political parties foot a large part of most candidates’ bills. A lot of the expenses detailed were notional – meaning a reasonable estimate of the cost of providing goods, services or time.

Some candidates also received donations from private individuals and trade unions. Tony Lloyd received £1,000 from Mr Bloxham, owner of developer Urban Splash, while Opal Property Group gave £2,500 in services.

He also received £1,500 from the Fire Brigades Union, £1,500 from the Amicus trade union and £2,000 from the GMB.

Unions also backed other Labour candidates. Leigh MP Andy Burnham received £1,000 from Unison and Yvonne Fovargue, who stood in Makerfield, was given £1,000 by Unite.

Lucy Powell received £200 from Amicus and Bury South MP Ivan Lewis was sent £600 from Unite.

David Henry, the Hazel Must Go Campaign candidate in Salford, received £500 each from the National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers and the Respect Party.

He came sixth out of eight candidates as former government minister Hazel Blears won, spending £17,105 expenses in the process.

In Rochdale, Mr Rowen received £2,000 from the town’s former MP Sir Cyril Smith.

Across the region, candidates spent hundreds of pounds on election gimmicks including helium balloons, rosettes, badges and car stickers.

FLOWER power failed for a Labour candidate who shelled out £100 on red roses. Tom Ross, a Stretford ward councillor, bought the buttonholes during his £2,383 campaign in Altrincham and Sale West – but failed to unseat long-serving Conservative MP Graham Brady. His team wore the roses, from Altrincham’s Eaden flower shop, on election night.

HAZEL Blears’ election expenses were the highest in Salford. The former government minister spent £17,105 and won 16,655 votes, returning to Parliament for the fourth time. Her spending included £79 on helium for balloons and £21.25 on rosettes. Her biggest cost after leaflets was on the use of her party’s base on Langworthy Road.

LABOUR MP Andrew Gwynne spent £133 buying food for supporters who pounded the streets for him in the hours before polls opened. The Denton and Reddish MP used party funds for coffee, tea, milk, crisps, biscuits and cake from supermarkets and platters of food from Costco for party workers who had been canvassing for him.

MACCLESFIELD'S new Conservative MP David Rutley spent five times more than his nearest rival to hang on to the safe Tory seat - even putting up £1,000 of his own money. He spent £21,931, of the maximum £25,000 allowance, in the run-up to the election. The next biggest spender was independent candidate Brendan Murphy with £4,171.78.

• Additional reporting by: Paul Britton, Dean Kirby, Bethan Dorsett, Neal Keeling, Tom Rowley, Chris Morris, Stuart Pike, Jennifer Williams, Peter Devine, Dan Thompson.

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