Had a letter from your MP?

This is the question David Franks, Liberal Democrat Leader of Luton Council, asked the packed meeting of interested local residents today.

David told the meeting, “Letter boxes in the town must be jammed with letters from Luton South MP Margaret Moran. According to the latest figures just published she spent £17,490 of taxpayers money in the last year on postage and stationery. That is a staggering amount for one MP to spend. I know MPs must respond to genuine queries from constituents but Luton North MP Kelvin Hopkins seems to have managed this on an expenditure of £3,258. Ms Moran should explain why she needs to spend 5½ times as much in Luton South as her colleague does in Luton North.

“Under the heading ‘Cost of staying away from main home’ Ms Moran claimed £16,656. Is this a taxpayer contribution to the mortgage on her Westminster flat? We could do with an answer to that question as well. An explanation of the £5,788 described as ‘Other Costs’ might prove interesting too”

“Surely when your MP claims a total of £137,125 expenses in just one year, in addition to her generous salary, you are entitled to an explanation of where the money has gone and why the expenditure was necessary.

Several of the people at the meeting were shocked to learn how much money the MP had claimed. Many said they had received a number of unsolicited letters from her but had no idea that so many had been sent out or that they were for paid for by taxpayers.