Graham Stringer, MP for Manchester Blackley, has never rented or owned property in London during his 11 years in Parliament.
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Instead he uses city-centre rooms in London during the week, often having to move his clothes and personal belongings from hotel to hotel.
Mr Stringer claimed a total of £20,042 for 'additional cost allowance' in 2007/08, with about £4,800 of it going on food and most of the rest on hotels. Parliament sat for 165 days that session.
The MP estimates his average hotel bill is between £150 and £200 a night, as he generally stays only three nights a week in London. He said it was better value for the taxpayer than if he had bought a property in the capital.
His total claim for ACA put him 20th out of the 31 MPs in our region. And Mr Stringer will eventually leave the Commons without being able to make a profit on property - unlike colleagues who use the allowance to cover mortgage interest and property for their `second' homes.
The news came after Mr Stringer became one of the first MPs to voluntarily hand over his expense claims to the M.E.N. for scrutiny.
We can also reveal today that Ivan Lewis - MP for Bury South and minister in the Department for International Development - was threatened with court action in June 2007 after failing to pay his gas bill, despite several warning letters.
Mr Lewis also paid consultants more than £7,000 to help arrange a series of `listening events' with his constituents.
The MP, who has four members of staff working from his Prestwich office, hired the services of a Salford company to organise four 'meet and greet' events in February and March last year.
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The themed events focused on crime, pensioners, business and 'inter-faith issues'.
Eccles MP Ian Stewart has been claiming £1,400 in mortgage interest on a London home, as well as £400 a month for food. His records - which suggest a frugal lifestyle - include a £500 bill for a three-piece suite and £450 for carpets and a bed in 2004.
Mr Stringer's claims include £349.99 on a Tom Tom satellite navigation system bought from a Manchester electronics superstore, and a number of books including one called Trouble With Physics.
The MP is a member of the Commons' science and technology committee.
His hotel claims, seen by the M.E.N, range from relatively small amounts to more than £350 for a city-centre hotel during the Chelsea Flower Show.
Mr Stringer said last night: "One of the reasons my overall expenses are usually in the bottom quartile of all MPs is because I choose to not purchase a property in London.
"However, from time to time, this means booking at the last minute. And the nature of the London hotel market means that can mean paying top dollar - for instance during the Chelsea Flower Show, or when the North West Main Line goes down." Mr Lewis said his 'listening events', which cost a total of £7,255, were 'an innovative way' of reaching hard-to-get groups.
"I was trying to think of innovative and imaginative ways of reaching out to people in a way that we normally don't do," he said.
"They required the services of a very small management consultancy, which is a local firm employing three people. They were fully-facilitated events and we provided feedback to those who attended afterwards.
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"I thought it required professional project managers to oversee. My staff are very pressed for time because of the high case loads they have.
"I am very proud of the work they do and we have a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week approach."
Mr Lewis claimed, over the past four years, between £1,283 and £1,732 a month towards the mortgage interest on his £300,000 Westminster flat. He has also used ACA to cover utility bills, council tax and his TV licence - but not furniture.
Mr Lewis said: "As far as I'm concerned, that is what the second-home allowance is for.
"I think my constituents would not just feel I have played within the rules, but that I have tried to do what I believed to be the right thing.
"Part of having a second home in order to carry out my duties in London was an expectation that there was a subsistence allowance that MPs could and should claim."
The MP's bills show he was threatened with a court order in June 2007 after failing to pay his gas bill, despite several warning letters. Mr Lewis said: "Over the years, everybody, even a Member of Parliament, gets to the red letter stage, and sometimes I have even gone beyond. With small businesses, we do try to pay as quickly as possible."
Mr Stewart said: "MPs do need some allowances and expenses to carry out their duties.
"Like many MPs, I'm feeling very low at the moment because the activities of some colleagues has not helped those of us who have always been transparent and kept within the rules, and the spirit of the rules.
"There is now an onus on all political parties to come together and devise a system which is not only transparent, but is adhered to by all MPs.
"It is important to re-establish confidence between MPs and their constituents."
Reporting team: David Ottewell, Amanda Crook, Yakub Qureshi, Ian Craig, Ian Wylie
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One of the more bewildering aspects of these expense claims for me is the £400 per months that these MP's can claim for food and I can't understand why. Us mere mortals wherever we live or work have to pay for the food we eat out of the salary or pension/benefits that we receive; why then do MP's not do the same? There are a lot of people in the country who would like to have £400 per month to feed a family of four let alone themselves. And what about the elderly and the disabled whose meagre benefits probably only allow them to spend a third of what MP's get for food. Its a disgrace.
even though the allowances system is totally wrong in the first place i think mr stringer has done a slightly better thing here. at least he only slightly benefited from using hotels.
unlike others who have made money on properties.
why should they get allowances on the living? they get paid enough! in most cases ive seen they've had larger allowances that their actual wages.
time to sort this mess out! but no ones actually doing anything.
Everything might be "by the Book" and within the rules, however everything is morally wrong!! They need to all Admit they have done a great job at milking the system. They claim back more than i earn in a year!!! Its a Joke. I dont even know if its even worth voting anymore!!!
Graham Stringer and Ian Stewart appear to have acted "reasonably" and responsibly with their expenses. It helps to put a little balance back into this story, and restore some semblance of trust. Unfortunately they seem to be in a minority of MPs'.
Can we have some info on Gerald Kaufman? All I've heard so far is that he tried to claim 8.5k for a widescreen telly & home cinema system! Apparently he was only reimbursed for half. I still don't see how that is required to discharge his responsibilities in London, but there you go...
What's up with a Travelodge and the all you can eat buffet breakfast?
Ian Stewart is my MP and I have had reason to contact him about four times during his tenure. Each time he has replied promptly and has shown by his answers that he is on the ball. I am disgusted that he will not be able to stand for this constituency again, because of boundary changes, and that we have been invaded by the female 'mafia' brigade. Positive discrimination rules!! The best person for the job it should be and Ian Stewart IS the best person for this constituency.
I am even more disgusted that he has been drawn into this morass because of the disgraceful actions of others.
Thanks Ian for your hard work over the years.
City for EUFA
I feel the same way about Graham Stringer. I hate Labour and everything they claim to stand for but I must say, when I had to contact Graham Stringer, her gave excellent service. Please to see he comes out of this mess better than others.
Graham Stringer is my MP and this article has restored my faith in the fact not all MP's are in it for themselves. However, I do think £350 per night for a hotel is steep and I don't think MP's should be claiming for food. Why can't they buy their own food out of their salaries like the rest of us but it's nice to know my MP is not involved in any mortgage dodgy dealings. Unfortunately though, it's too little too late because many other of the 3 main party MP's have sickened me and I will be voting for one of the smaller parties on June 4th.
Salford city council publish all councillors expensesmbut for months I have been trying to find out the expenses for Manchester City Counillors particulary The Leader Richard Leese,Manchester will not give this information freely.WHY?.
vote UKIP on june 4th
Whatever our MPs fiddle from us its nothing compared to what the EU and its members get each day.And we dont have any control over them .its time we called it a day with the EU while were at it.
I like it when the Speaker calls out, "Odour, Odour, we must have odour in this house." Then numerous MPs with dodgy expense claims all rise saying, "Is it me?"
I've written to Ivan Lewis. Despite having 4 staff, they wouldn't know the meaning of the word prompt.
Richard Leese earns over £54,000+ as leader of Manchester City Council.Well over £1000 a week.Not bad eh.
Robert Tocker states that Manchester City Council does not give out information about councillors' allowances as do some other councils. All councils have to publish both their allowances scheme and an annual statement of the individual councillor's gross earnings. It took me about a minute to find the Manchester ones for 2007-8 as follows with a previous years statement also. Just check!
www.manchester.gov.uk/site/scripts/download_info.php?fileID=7757
Lets have a investigation into local councillors spending in manchester.Its time the voters were informed just how much our councillors and leaders are costing us each week.
The Thunderer, great I also have been searching,this is new It was not up some weeks ago.When I contacted Manchester city council I was directed to the freedom of information site and asked to fill in forms and pay a fee.Looks like the are running scared and printed at last.
Tony North-Hearn, it would be very interesting to find out how much Sir richard actually earns and claims for!
he still hasn't done what he said he's do when he staked his job on the line to get the yes vot through back in dec!
well he lost and he's still here! typical labour councilor! says one thing then done the complete opposite!
One day a florist goes to a barbers shop and asks for a haircut. After his cut, he asks about his bill and the barber replies, "I cannot accept money from you, I am doing commumity service this week" The florist was pleased and left the shop.
The next morning when the barber opens the shop, there is a thank you card and a dozen red roses.
Later that morning, a policeman comes in for a haircut, when he tries to pay, the barber once again replies "I cannot take any money from you, I am doing community service this week" The policeman is pleased and leaves the shop.
The next morning when the barber goes to open the shop, there is a thank you card and a dozen donuts waiting for him.
Later that day a professor comes in for a haircut, when he asks for the bill, the barber again replies "I cannot accept money from you I'm doing community service this week" The professor is very happy and leaves the shop.
The next morning, when the barber opens his shop, there is a thank you card and a dozen different books.
Then a member of Parliament comes in for a haircut, when he goes to pay his bill, the barber once more replies, "I cannot take any money from you, I am doing community service this week" The member of Parliament is very pleased and leaves he shop.
The next morning, when the barber goes to open up, there are a dozen members of Parliament lined up, waiting for a free haircut.
And that my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference, between 'us' and the supposedly honourable members of Parliament !!
i work for a living and have to pay for everything out of my wage, why should mp's claim for everything and then have their wage too, they have their cake and eat it atthe same time!!!!!
Well, the Speaker hasn't said he's going so it's possible he'll be in parliament for quite a while yet. I hope so, because the longer he's there the more we get reminded of the expenses that the greedy MPs have milked from the system. Every time he stands to shout odour, odour, the scandal will be revitalised in our minds - hope he stays until the next election.
Anyone know what Tony Lloyd claims for?
They must have been at this expenses scam for years and years AND they all know it. Must be like prison where the new boys learn all the dirty tricks. Suddenly they're all apologetic and scrabbling to pay their booty back!
The only thing they're sorry about is getting caught with their grubby little mitts in the cookie jar. Now let them squirm until THEIR pips squeek!
It seems the majority of our MP'S think thats it OK to pay back what they've MISTAKENLY claimed and everything will be OK,so if I rob a bank and happen to get caught,if a pay it back will that be OK,I don't think so,its time the fraud squad were brought in,any MP guilty of misclaim's should be punished,plus costs so their not a burden on the taxpayer yet again.