MPs expenses - Parliament finally publishes details

Parliament has finally bowed to public pressure and published the full detail of MP's expenses. Considering it is our money they've spent and The Telegraph has done the best bits anyway, they've been way too slow to act.

Hove's current MP is Celia Barlow. I won't comment on her personal claims, but you can see them here. What I will comment on is her use of the Communications Allowance and other office related expenses, as I have had concerns over how MPs (generally) have used this.

The MP submitted a claim for a massive £9,600 on stamps to post her Parliamentary News in 2007. Most political parties use armies of volunteers to deliver such publications - as we do with the Focus. Are her supporters and the local Labour Party in such a state of inactivity just months after a local election that she can't use her own set of volunteers? At least we can't say she doesn't support the Post Office.

There is even a claim submitted for £411.25 to the 'Labour Party' for her website, payable directly to the 'Labour Party'. However, she received a ticking off from the authorities for not stating that the site was funded by the allowance and for saying 'Your NHS: Better with Labour'. Changes were demanded and clearly taxpayers money should not have been spent in this way. and indeed it is clear to anyone who uses the NHS that it simply isn't better off under Labour!

There is also a claim submitted for £2,310 from a printing company for 'poster - Labour Party Newsletter' - surely an item such as a 'Labour Party Newsletter' shouldn't be claimable through the taxpayer?

I'm happy to post an explanation if you are reading Celia.