Hundreds Of MPs Had Official Credit Cards Suspended For Breaking Expenses Rules
8 May 2019, 08:51 | Updated: 8 May 2019, 08:57
The Parliamentary expenses watchdog has suspended hundreds of MPs credit cards for breaking strict rules introduced in the wake of the 2009 expenses scandal.
The Telegraph reported that 377 MPs have had their credit cards suspended since the 2015 election.
Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn and Ian Paisley are among the MPs to be penalised since 2015 for breaking the rules by not providing receipts or failing to pay back ineligible expenses.
Documents released under the Freedom of Information Act show Cabinet Member Amber Rudd had her card suspended five times, while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had his card suspended twice.
Energy Minister Claire Perry admitted to wrongly paying for her Amazon Prime subscription using her Parliamentary credit card.
The information was uncovered by a Freedom of Information request which the Parliamentary watchdog attempted to block.
The Telegraph reported the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority attempted to block the release of the information, fearing the “chilling effect” the revelations could have on its relationship with politicians.
Speaking to the press Ruth Evans, the Chair of IPSA said: “Ten years ago, the difficulty of having politicians self-regulate their pay and expenses became all too clear.
“It led to the establishment of Ipsa. Since then, Ipsa has established a clear set of rules for MPs to follow and enforce them fairly. The openness and transparency of IPSA has become a model for legislatures worldwide."
IPSA introduced Parliamentary credit cards with strict rules for MPs meaning they have to provide receipts within 30 days or risk the card being suspended.
