Pick Up Those Feet!

During the last week I've tripped over twice, the first time was coming in the back door, fortunately I landed on a mat, not a hard floor. The second was going UP stairs, on carpet. My 'reward' is a bruised knee and a stiff finger. Both times it was because I was in a hurry and hadn't picked up my feet. This is the sort of thing that old and doddery people do. This posh staircase isn't mine, I wish. Being council built housing mine are very basic.

Times Online - Money Central

MPs' expenses: the ten most outrageous claims ever

MPs are paid an annual salary of £63,291 – yet in 2007 each MP also claimed an average of £135,600 for expenses. Travel costs, staff pay and, of course, the controversial second homes allowance are amongst the many things charged to the taxpayer.

Matthew Elliott of the TaxPayers’ Alliance said: “Some politicians have been taking the mickey and taking advantage of taxpayers’ generosity. It is more important than ever, for the democratic system as much as for taxpayers, that the full details of every claim be published. The minority who are cashing in so disgracefully should be run out of town.”

As the row over the transparency of expenses continues, Money Central lists the 10 most outrageous expense claims ever made by MPs.

1. Jacqui Smith’s pornography

Jacqui Smith was left “mortified and furious” after it emerged she had claimed the cost of two pornographic films her husband had watched from her parliamentary expenses budget. Her expenses claims included two films, each costing £5, viewed on April 1 and April 6 last year.

2. Jacqui Smith’s house

Ms Smith is already facing an inquiry over her decision to designate her sister’s house in London as her “main home”. This allowed her to claim £116,000 on her Redditch constituency house, where her family live, as her “second home”.

3. Tony McNulty’s house

Tony McNulty, the Employment Minister, claimed £60,000 as a second home allowance for staying in his parent’s house and is also facing investigation by the Commons watchdog.

Mr McNulty started claiming allowances for the house in his Harrow constituency in northwest London in 2001 and continued to do so until January this year, even though he moved out in 2002. Since then he has lived in Hammersmith, which is just nine miles from Harrow.

Sixteen London MPs claim up to £16,000 a year for a second home, despite living less than an hour's commute from Westminster.

4. Derek Conway’s son, or “parliamentary assistant”

Derek Conway, the senior Conservative MP, used expenses to "employ" his teenage son Fredrick as a Parliamentary assistant, despite the fact that Fredrick was a full-time Geography student at Newcastle university. Frederick was paid up to £11,773 a year for his work – but was “all but invisible during the period of his employment,” according to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

5. Nick Bourne’s iPod

Last year it emerged that two members of the Welsh assembly, Conservative leader Nick Bourne and fellow Tory, Alun Cairns, bought iPods on their expenses worth a combined £398. Mr Bourne, who represents Mid and West Wales, also bought a £120 trouser press.

6. Bill Butler’s £1 charity donation

Bill Butler, the Labour MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, tried to claim back a £1 charity donation that a hotel made on his behalf. He says that the hotel made the charge without his knowledge. It was rejected by the Scottish Parliament authorities.

David Whitton, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, also had a claim rejected this year – he wanted £290 in expenses for printing Christmas cards.

7. Caroline Spelman’s nanny

Caroline Spelman, the Conservative Party Chairman and MP for Meriden, was found to have broken the rules for MPs expenses when she hired her nanny as a secretarial assistant in the late 1990s.

Tina Haynes received free board and lodgings - but was not paid - for looking after Mrs Spelman's three children. However, she was paid £13,000 a year, from Mrs Spelman's expenses, for 18-hours work a week as the MP's assistant.

8. Brian Gibbons’ remembrance wreath

Brian Gibbons, the the Labour Minister for Social Justice and Local Government, claimed £16.50 for a Royal British Legion wreath that he presumably laid at a remembrance service.

9. Alex Fergusson's charity advert

The Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament attempted to recover £132.78 for the cost of a "congratulatory advert" for a constituency charity for disadvantaged children. His claim was rejected.

10. Council tax

With the average annual council tax bill set to increase to £1,414 from next month, many struggling pensioners will be interested to learn that MPs do not have to pay council tax on their second homes. They can, of course claim it on expenses.