In the midst of the outrage over MPs' expenses, I'd just like to draw attention to the Honourable Member for Luton North, Kelvin Hopkins. I've always rather liked Mr Hopkins: I disagree with a lot of his politics, but he has always struck me as having integrity and principles, unlike a lot of his colleagues.
And it would seem, according to the revelations in the Telegraph, that his fellow MPs could learn something from him. He doesn't have a second home, and instead travels down from Luton every day, claiming occasionally for a hotel room - and not expensive hotel rooms, either, judging by the fact that he's claimed only £4513 over four years. All of which sounds entirely reasonable to me: thousands of people commute into London every day on this line; the trains aren't particularly pretty, but there are 4 of them an hour for most of the day, they run until gone 1 a.m., and they even still have first-class carriages, unlike some commuter lines.*
Compare and contrast his parliamentary neighbour in Luton South, Margaret Moran. She lives in the same street as Mr Hopkins, and yet felt it necessary to claim £74904 over the same period. Apparently, what a Luton MP really needs in order to do her job is a house in Southampton. Who knew?
*ETA: However, I'm told by someone who used to travel regularly on the same train as him that he puts his feet on the seats. Which is clearly appalling and scandalous and he should be deselected forthwith!
And it would seem, according to the revelations in the Telegraph, that his fellow MPs could learn something from him. He doesn't have a second home, and instead travels down from Luton every day, claiming occasionally for a hotel room - and not expensive hotel rooms, either, judging by the fact that he's claimed only £4513 over four years. All of which sounds entirely reasonable to me: thousands of people commute into London every day on this line; the trains aren't particularly pretty, but there are 4 of them an hour for most of the day, they run until gone 1 a.m., and they even still have first-class carriages, unlike some commuter lines.*
Compare and contrast his parliamentary neighbour in Luton South, Margaret Moran. She lives in the same street as Mr Hopkins, and yet felt it necessary to claim £74904 over the same period. Apparently, what a Luton MP really needs in order to do her job is a house in Southampton. Who knew?
*ETA: However, I'm told by someone who used to travel regularly on the same train as him that he puts his feet on the seats. Which is clearly appalling and scandalous and he should be deselected forthwith!
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