Sky Sports paid on the taxpayer - Peter Bone's expenses revealed

11.05.00pm GMT Thu 10th Dec 2009

Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate for Wellingborough Kevin Barron has reacted with disbelief - after it was revealed today that Wellingborough's Conservative MP Peter Bone had claimed for a Sky Sports television package on parliamentary expenses.

Peter Bone's claims from the 2008/9 tax year - published today on the House of Commons website - shows claims for a Sky Sports television package, included on a subscription to Virgin Media, alongside a whopping £4320 claimed for food.

"While his constituents have had to cut back on luxuries due to the recession and while he campaigns in parliament to abolish the minimum wage on which many struggling families rely, Peter Bone appears to believe that he is owed a free dinner by the tax payer." commented Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate Kevin Barron.

"The Conservative Borough Council is cutting back services and the Conservative County Council is closing down care homes." Kevin continued. "Yet Peter Bone MP has put in for luxuries such as Sky Sports TV. We all enjoy watching our favourite teams play, but we don't expect our neighbours to pay for it."

"In the working world I come from expenses are for essentials and attempting to claim for Sky Sports TV would get you fired. Peter Bone must explain to his constituents why he feels it is his right to have such luxuries paid for by the tax payers of this country."

"MPs are responsible to their constituents and the country as a whole, and Peter Bone needs to explain why he feels we should trust him after this. He owes the people of Wellingborough and Rushden an explanation, and if he cannot explain himself adequately he must apologise and pay back the money."

ENDS

Notes:

Peter Bones MP's claims under the additional costs allowance from 2008/9 and part of 2009/10 (and its successor the Personal Additional Accommodation Expenditure allowance) have been published today on the House of Commons website. These can be viewed here: http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/peter-bone/

TV packages

Peter Bone appears to claim for Sky Sports Package and the Entertainment Pack of Virgin Cable (Page 21 and 27 of his 08/09 Allowances return)

From 01/03/08 he claimed::

£36.80 (pg 7, under telephone and telecommunications)

£36.80 (pg 16)

£36.80 (pg 22)

£36.80 (pg 29)

£36.80 (pg 34)

£36.80 (pg 40)

£36.80 (pg 46)

£36.80 (pg 52)

£36.80 (pg 56)

£36.80 (pg 61)

£36.02 (pg 64)

£36.02 (pg 67)

Total: £440.04 of which £228 is Sky Sports

Ends 31/03/09

Food

From 01/04/08 he claimed, food wise:

£300 (pg 7)

£300 (pg 16)

£400 (pg 22)

£400 (pg 29)

£120 (pg 34)

£400 (pg 40)

£400 (pg 46)

£400 (pg 52)

£400 (pg 56)

£400 (pg 61)

£400 (pg 64)

£400 (pg 67)

Total: £4320

These claims follow previous years where, as reported at the time in the local press, he claimed over and above the maximum for food.

Rent

In addition to these claims, he is already an expensive MP. His expenses reveal that the flat he rents from fellow Tory Kenneth Carlisle (page 6 of his 08/09 return) cost the taxpayer £15,600 a year on rent alone in 2008/9 - more than many people's wages in his own constituency. He has recently been asked to provide more details on his flat to the expenses watchdog.