The expenses for Salford's two and a half MPs have been revealed for the period September to November 2010 (with a bit of December chucked in) and they make interesting reading. Here's the highlights…
HAZEL BLEARS
After Hazel's orgy of expenses was exposed before the last General Election (see here) the Salford MP has certainly reigned it in a bit. No cleaning or laundry expenses claimed at all – however does she manage?
Hazel does claim £681.50 for that huge sign outside her office shop front on Langworthy Road, no doubt to tell her constituents that she's here – and then claims £3013.84 on `miscellaneous expenses' for the office, including security, alarms and a door entry system which some might think is to keep everyone out of there, plus £130 on blinds, presumably so no bugger can see what's going on behind closed doors.
Hazel is also claiming £1373.54 for six months service charges on her London flat, plus £395 per month mortgage interest charges, which has come down a bit too (see here).
Naughty Hazel did have £3 knocked off her claim in October when the £30 receipt for parking at Stockport station didn't match her claim for £33.
Altogether, between September and November 2010 Hazel Blears claimed £9599.50, one of the highest amounts in Greater Manchester.
BARBARA KEELEY
Worsely MP Barbara Keeley managed to spend £1086.51 on computer inks and toners over the three month period, including £193.84 on black and yellow cartridges, £308.92 on HP and Armor cartridges and £200.99 on OKI toner cartridges. Has she never heard of the cheapo computer ink booth on Salford Precinct?
Barbara also claimed another £200 in office costs plus £145.50 for a telly licence at the office, and £2500 in office rent for five months, plus another £3450 in office rent although no dates are given.
Perhaps the strangest claims are for travel. Barbara claims mileage for travel `within constituency': Sale to Eccles? Sale to Manchester? Since when was Sale in Salford? There are also mileage claims from `Constituency office to Westminster': Sale to Stockport? (obviously the station). They are only small amounts but it does raise the question whether MPs should be claiming for travel from their home outside the constituency to the constituency.
Barbara Keeley's expenses for this period amount to £8073.09
GRAHAM STRINGER
Our half a Salford MP for Broughton (and Blackley) is either a complete petty skinflint or is making a point of how little he claims. One mileage claim is for 88p from his office to Manchester, while another is for 60p from his office to Lighthouse School.
What Graham loses on the mileage he makes up for with hotel claims over the period – a whopping £3,357.85. There's also a claim for £1453.18 for advertising constituency surgeries in the Manchester Evening News. He should be advertising in the Salford Star – we'll do it for £100!
Graham Stringer's expenses for this period amount to £5857.35
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