9:46am Thursday 4th February 2010
By Reader's letter
Anne McIntosh MP has finally broken her silence on her expenses, letting us know that she has been asked to repay £948.
She says this will be deducted from her expenses for the next three months as “a goodwill gesture” and her expenses were “well within the parameters that were allowed and were reasonable at the time”.
While we know Ms McIntosh claimed for everything from a mousetrap to batteries and Jeyes fluid, she fails to explain what her £245 per month petty cash claims were spent on, being £5 within the parameter set. Similarly, she has yet to explain the £399 per month she claims for food, which is £1 within the parameter set.
Perhaps, as a further goodwill gesture, she would now like to expand on her statement, and address why personal car insurance, personal car repairs and MOT were claimed, as well as hire cars when visiting the constituency?
Having spent more than £1,500 annually on accountancy fees, presumably to reduce her tax bill at our expense, we are surely due that explanation.
She refers to the “discredited expenses system” and says “I welcome the lead that David Cameron has provided”.
It is noted Ms McIntosh was one of 20 Conservative MPs who voted to maintain that “discredited” expenses system. This was in defiance of her party leader, David Cameron.
Rex Negus, Easingwold.
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