It has emerged that the MP for East Kilbride, Dr Lisa Cameron claimed in excess of £250,000 in expenses last year. This makes her the second highest claimer of expenses in the House of Commons, behind only the Speaker of the house.
Dr Cameron MP claimed £256,040 in the 2019/20 financial year. In addition to this, so far in 2020/21 the Scottish National Party MP has already requested £45,274.71 in expenses. This is despite the UK spending a vast proportion of that time in lockdown.
In amongst these figures, claims have been made for £266 for a banner under ‘office costs’ as well as a £1.50 claim for an envelope. Dr Cameron MP’s basic salary is £79,467.96. The latest figures that have been published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) showed the average cost of an MP last year, including salary and expenses to be £157,747. Dr Cameron claimed more than Prime Minister Boris Johnson who claimed £174,454.
Dr Cameron MP has a total of 16 members of staff listed at a combined cost to the taxpayer of £159,182.78 in 2019/20. This includes two permanent posts which were a chief of staff and a case worker as well as other staff listed as ‘fixed term’. £27,154.56 was claimed for accommodation which included a rented London flat.
Dr Cameron has responded to these figures by saying: “My own accommodation and office costs reduced but I have had the grave situation of long-term staff sickness absence. This triggered temporary additional funding from IPSA for staff cover, so I don’t feel it appropriate for anyone to try to make political capital out of significant ill-health within an unprecedented situation”.
Current Affairs Correspondent | My name is Oliver Down I am 22, and a staunch brexiteer. I am a Bristolian lad who studied politics in Leicester. I believe in free speech and accurate journalism and I won’t be afraid to give you “the other side” of the story!
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