Local MP ‘Still Has Questions To Answer’ Over Expense Claims

The MPs’ expenses row has rocked the public’s confidence in our political representatives more than any other recent scandal. The main offenders, such as cabinet ministers guilty of ‘flipping’ second homes or claiming for outrageous items, have been blasted on the front pages of the national media.

But the recent publication online of all MPs’ expense receipts has thrown up discrepancies and questions over the claims of a number of lesser known MPs and junior ministers.

Now local Conservative Candidate Dan Byles believes that his opponent – Labour MP Mike O’Brien – has some questions of his own to answer.

Dan has written Mr O’Brien an open letter, published on his website and copied to local press, asking eight questions that he believes Mr O’Brien needs to answer to local taxpayers.

Issues Dan has questioned include a double claim for a TV licence, the purchase of duplicate office equipment worth thousands of pounds, the apparent payment of taxpayers money to local Labour councillors, thousands of pounds claimed for Mr O’Brien’s personal accountant’s bills, and the details of mystery censored receipts totalling almost six thousand pounds.

Dan said: “I have written to Mr O’Brien because I am concerned that public mistrust of politicians can only be addressed by complete transparency. MPs’ need to be fully open with their constituents, and these issues regarding Mr O’Brien’s expenses could give the appearance of irregularities.

“I am not suggesting that Mr O’Brien has sought to deliberately misuse his expenses, but these questions are being asked by many local people, and I’m sure he would welcome the opportunity to make things clearer.

“He might also like to explain why he voted last year against reforms that would have brought in independent auditors to monitor MPs’ expense claims.

“The people of North Warwickshire & Bedworth deserve an MP who will vote for transparency in Parliament, and who will publish all expense claims promptly online for people to see as I pledge to do.

“I served in the Armed Forces for nine years, and like my fellow soldiers I did it to serve my country, not for financial reward. I left the Army three years ago to come into politics because I was fed up with the politicians who were treating our soldiers with contempt. I believe that being an MP is as much about serving your country as being a soldier is, and I will do so with the same integrity and moral courage that I devoted to my Service life.”

The open letter follows:

Dear Mr O’Brien

The issue of MPs’ expenses has been toxic and divisive, and I’m sure you’ll agree it is essential for all MPs to be fully open with the public if public trust is to be restored.

With the release this week of MPs’ receipts for the past few years, albeit heavily censored, I’m sure you will wish to clear up a number of apparently confusing details in your own expense receipts.

I am happy to make it clear that there is no suggestion you have in any way sought to misuse your expenses, but a number of the issues below could give the appearance of irregularities and I’m sure you would welcome the opportunity to make things clearer.

There are eight outstanding questions about your claims:

Incidental Expenses Provision

1. Marked Register of Electors. In August 2004 you charged the taxpayer £125 for ‘Marked Copies of Registers of Electors’ from Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council. The marked register is used by all Parties as a political campaigning tool, and is unlikely to be regarded as a legitimate office expense for an MP. Can you explain why the marked register was required by your office to carry out your duties as an MP? If this was claimed in error, will you repay this sum to the taxpayer?

2. Duplicate office equipment. In March 2007 you purchased a letter folding machine at a cost to the taxpayer of £1,157.38. Then only eight months later, in November 2007, you purchased another letter folding machine at a further cost to the taxpayer of £558.13. Can you confirm why your office requires two such machines, the location of both machines, and that neither has been used to fold and distribute political campaigning material?

3. Conflict of interests. On at least two occasions, you appear to have paid taxpayers money to local Labour councillors, which gives the appearance of a potential conflict of interests (a Labour MP paying taxpayers’ money to a Labour councillor for goods and services).

a. Your claim form dated 30/11/07 for £558.13 for a second letter folding machine states that the money was paid to ‘M Stanley’. Can you confirm whether this was the then Labour Councillor Mick Stanley?

b. Your claim form dated 2/9/07 states that £100 was paid to a ‘Tony Lloyd’ for ‘office move services’. Can you confirm whether this was the then Labour councillor Tony Lloyd?

Can you confirm whether any other goods or services paid for by the taxpayer were paid to Labour councillors or prominent and active members of the local Labour Party, or to firms or companies linked to such persons?

4. Personal Accountancy Costs of £4,241.75. Over the period covered by these expense claims, you have claimed £4,241.75 from the taxpayer to cover accountancy advice, including for completing your personal tax returns. Many people might consider your personal tax returns to be a private matter, and might ask why the taxpayer should pay thousands of pounds to cover your accountancy fees. Can you justify these claims, and will you consider repaying this money to the taxpayer?

5. Duplicate Office costs. Your Incidental Expenses Provision claims appear to show that have been running two offices in Bedworth. In three of the last four years you appear to have claimed twice (different sums) for National Non Domestic Rates on ‘offices and premises’. In many months, you have claimed twice for telephone bills and energy bills with identical dates but for different sums. All addresses have been censored. If you have been running two offices can you explain why, and will you be open about where these two offices are?

6. Censored Receipts for £5,877.51. There are a number of claims for which the details of purchases, and the attached receipts, have been heavily edited so as to prevent proper scrutiny. The receipts total some £5,877.51. Can you confirm the details of the following claims, which at present are impossible to verify:

07/3/05 Validation claim summary sheet for £945 (05/06 IEP – p.212. Details censored)

07/3/05 Validation claim summary sheet for £511 (05/06 IEP – p.213. Details censored)

Undated Validation claim summary sheet for £405.40 (05/06 IEP – p.228. Details censored)

Undated Validation claim summary sheet for £227.50 (05/06 IEP – p.229. Details censored)

29/3/06 Invoice for £250.66 from Viking direct (06/07 IEP – p.201. Details censored)

18/5/06 C1 Reimbursement for £1,281.81 (06/07 IEP – p.214. Details censored)

21/3/07 Invoice for £1,406.14 from Viking direct (06/07 IEP – p.11. Details censored)

31/3/07 Invoice for £850 from Black Snow Media (06/07 IEP – p.4. Details censored)

7. Constituency Report costing £8,100. On 31 March 2008 you were invoiced £8,100 for 39,000 x 8 page MPs’ Constituency Reports, presumably paid for from the controversial Communications Allowance. I have yet to speak to any local person who has seen a copy of this report. Can you confirm how many reports were distributed, and in what areas?

Additional Cost Allowance

8. Double payment for TV licence. You appear to have claimed the sum of £135 for a television licence twice: you claimed the sum in July 2007 and in August 2007. I have no doubt that this was an administrative error, but can you confirm that you will repay this double claim to the taxpayer?

Voting Record on Expenses

9. Many local people are concerned to know why on 3 July 2008, when the Members Estimate Committee published a series of recommendations to reform allowances, you voted against rigorous outside audits of MPs’ claims, and you voted against scrapping the so-called ‘John Lewis List’. Can you explain you voted against these reforms?

I’m sure that in the interests of transparency, you will wish to clear up these questions.

Kind regards

Dan Byles Conservative Parliamentary Candidate North Warwickshire & Bedworth