The Discovery of Teesdale - Michael D. C. Rudd
Price:£20.00
Expense claims revealed
Jun 30, 2009
THE expenses of Teesdale’s MP have again come under the spotlight – and some of her claims have provoked a backlash from residents.
The House of Commons revealed MPs’ expenses after a long-running Freedom of Information battle.
The list showed that MP Helen Goodman claimed for items including a Duracell battery and an exfoliating face glove.
The in-depth account also revealed regular claims such as mortgage payments, food, utility bills, cleaning costs, hotels, taxis fares, TV licence payments, and phone bills.
Much of the information was blacked-out on “privacy and security” grounds, and Ms Goodman said that the amount of information not revealed by the Commons may have been “excessive”.
A number of residents phoned the Mercury in protest at the expense claims. Brian Farrell, of Startforth, said: “I’m absolutely fizzing about it. Her claims for basic items like food and council tax will really upset people in the Barnard Castle and Bishop Auckland area – we go to work, but no one pays our bills. It seems indefensible – and I’m a life-long Labour supporter.”
Other readers have, however,
criticised the Mercury’s earlier coverage of Ms Goodman’s expenses and leapt to the MP’s defence. Jo Angell of Barnard Castle accused the Mercury of joing the “bandwagon”, and described Ms Goodman as “an extremely hard-working MP who is sincerely concerned about all members of the public in her constituency”. And Barnard Castle archaeologist Percival Turnball said: “It is important at the moment to make every effort to distinguish between genuine malpractice over MPs’ additional living allowances and the barrage of hyperbolic journalism and cynical attempts to score political points.”
Last month, The Daily Telegraph reported that
Ms Goodman claimed £519.13 for a week in a holiday cottage in Romaldkirk, £350 for a desk and £1,210.73 for curtains. Ms Goodman defended the cottage claim saying it was cheaper than a hotel and that she did not have a constituency home at the time.
More of her claims came to light last week when they were officially published online.
She said: “I am pleased that the House of Commons have now published all MPs’ expense claims, as it is important that an independent body has put this information in the public domain rather than a newspaper or individual MPs.
“I have discussed this issue at length with constituents, the local media and local party members, and I have put a link on my website so that constituents can easily see my claims.
“With regard to the redaction – or blacking out – of certain information, I do think the Commons authorities were right to omit the personal addresses and telephone numbers of MPs and suppliers, because there are obvious security risks to publishing these details.
“I do not think, however, that redactions should have gone beyond these details, and it appears that some of the information blacked out was excessive”.