Ps & Qs

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The Daily Telegraph today published the expenses claims of Dartford MP Dr Howard Stoate (it's Day 26 of "The Expenses Files", a feature which increasingly resembles Big Brother/The Never-Ending Story).

Now, it would be all-too easy to use this as an opportunity to attack Dr Stoate, but it transpires that he is actually a rather fervent supporter of local businesses. After all, he spent £124 at a market stall - or, so he says, as "no receipts are available". Over £1,000 was ploughed into the town's DIY stores, including the B&Q Warehouse and Focus [Do It All].

Now, this may sound like a lot of money to spend, but fear not! Dr Stoate had the taxpayer in mind whilst he was shopping: prices in the market "were far lower than shop prices... I was trying to keep my costs as low as possible". In fact, the whole reason he needed to go to B&Q at all is because he decided to buy a London home (15 miles from the constituency) "in an appalling condition" with the intention of doing it up himself. Thus saving us money, obviously.

Fantastic. Thank you, Dr Stoate, for not falling into the trap of deciding to buy a perfectly adequate home like so many other less-reputable MPs. Well done for spotting that the cost of bringing an "inhabitable" maisonette up to scratch would be significantly less than just buying a normal flat.

Thank you, too, for deciding to pay back all £11,000 of the expenses you legitimately claimed for the 2008-09 financial year (which you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of) and for your decision never to claim your second home allowance ever again. I hope the burden, even without any mortgage or rent payments, does not detract from your enjoyment of a little home improvement.

Dr Howard Stoate MP


Salary:
£64,766- it's just not enough
Second home claims:04-05£18,265- well, it was in a bad state

05-06£10,314- paint isn't cheap, you know

06-07£9,374- (cheaper at the market though)

07-08£17,883- must have re-done the bathroom

Total£55,836

08-09£11,000- paid back

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