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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| MP's anger at first class 'ban' | MP's anger at first class 'ban' |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| Retiring MP Sir Nicholas Winterton has reacted angrily to expenses proposals to restrict first class travel by MPs. | Retiring MP Sir Nicholas Winterton has reacted angrily to expenses proposals to restrict first class travel by MPs. |
| He told the BBC MPs needed "quiet and privacy" to work and that there was a "totally different type of people" in standard class. | He told the BBC MPs needed "quiet and privacy" to work and that there was a "totally different type of people" in standard class. |
| The Tory MP said it was a "grotesque injustice" that the expenses issue had been "misrepresented" by the media. | The Tory MP said it was a "grotesque injustice" that the expenses issue had been "misrepresented" by the media. |
| He has also attacked those in charge of expenses reform, accusing auditor Sir Thomas Legg of "raking it in". | He has also attacked those in charge of expenses reform, accusing auditor Sir Thomas Legg of "raking it in". |
| The Macclesfield MP spoke to the BBC following an interview with Total Politics magazine, in which he said restricting first class travel left MPs "below local councillors and officers of local government". | The Macclesfield MP spoke to the BBC following an interview with Total Politics magazine, in which he said restricting first class travel left MPs "below local councillors and officers of local government". |
| 'Need a seat' | 'Need a seat' |
| Sir Nicholas, an MP since 1971 who is standing down at the general election, told BBC Radio 5 live that he had never received any complaints from constituents about travelling first class. | |
| "Members of Parliament work extremely hard. They use the time that they spend travelling from their constituency to London undertaking work. | "Members of Parliament work extremely hard. They use the time that they spend travelling from their constituency to London undertaking work. |
| "But in order to be able to do that they need to be able to sit down, and you can't always do that in standard class... and you also need quiet and sadly, you don't very often get that in standard class. | "But in order to be able to do that they need to be able to sit down, and you can't always do that in standard class... and you also need quiet and sadly, you don't very often get that in standard class. |
| FROM BBC RADIO 5 LIVE More from BBC Radio 5 live | FROM BBC RADIO 5 LIVE More from BBC Radio 5 live |
| "If I was in standard class I would not do work because people would be looking over your shoulder the entire time, there would be noise, there would be distraction." | "If I was in standard class I would not do work because people would be looking over your shoulder the entire time, there would be noise, there would be distraction." |
| He added: "They are a totally different type of people. | He added: "They are a totally different type of people. |
| "There's lots of children, there's noise, there's activity. I like to have peace and quiet when I'm travelling." | "There's lots of children, there's noise, there's activity. I like to have peace and quiet when I'm travelling." |
| Asked whether it mattered that the public might not agree with first class travel, he said: "I'm sorry, the public are wrong. It's for Parliament to decide not the public." | Asked whether it mattered that the public might not agree with first class travel, he said: "I'm sorry, the public are wrong. It's for Parliament to decide not the public." |
| 'Grotesque injustice' | 'Grotesque injustice' |
| He added: "I'm angry because I believe that member of Parliament are being treated extremely unfairly. I believe many matters relating to expenses have been misrepresented. | He added: "I'm angry because I believe that member of Parliament are being treated extremely unfairly. I believe many matters relating to expenses have been misrepresented. |
| "The word 'expenses' has been used when the word 'allowance' is much more applicable. To misrepresent that as expenses is a grotesque injustice." | "The word 'expenses' has been used when the word 'allowance' is much more applicable. To misrepresent that as expenses is a grotesque injustice." |
| Macclesfield MP Sir Nicholas repaid £850 after the Legg Inquiry found he had been overpaid for council tax bills on his second home. | Macclesfield MP Sir Nicholas repaid £850 after the Legg Inquiry found he had been overpaid for council tax bills on his second home. |
| The actual cost of the [Legg] review is currently over £1.1m. These are megabucks Sir Nicholas | The actual cost of the [Legg] review is currently over £1.1m. These are megabucks Sir Nicholas |
| He and MP wife Ann Winterton, who is also standing down, faced criticism for claiming rent of £20,000 a year on a flat they transferred to a family trust after paying off the mortgage. | He and MP wife Ann Winterton, who is also standing down, faced criticism for claiming rent of £20,000 a year on a flat they transferred to a family trust after paying off the mortgage. |
| A seven-month inquiry into MPs' expenses last year recommended a series of changes to overhaul the system and improve public trust. | A seven-month inquiry into MPs' expenses last year recommended a series of changes to overhaul the system and improve public trust. |
| Among the proposals, currently under consideration by a new expenses body, is one saying MPs should "be permitted to claim for first class train travel for longer journeys where issues of space or privacy in which to work make this appropriate". But it says MPs "should always ensure that value for money for the taxpayer is provided when making travel arrangements". | Among the proposals, currently under consideration by a new expenses body, is one saying MPs should "be permitted to claim for first class train travel for longer journeys where issues of space or privacy in which to work make this appropriate". But it says MPs "should always ensure that value for money for the taxpayer is provided when making travel arrangements". |
| It also recommends that they should only claim for economy class flights within the UK or Europe and stop claiming for first class travel for their families. | It also recommends that they should only claim for economy class flights within the UK or Europe and stop claiming for first class travel for their families. |
| In his interview with Total Politics, Sir Nicholas criticised the money spent on Sir Thomas Legg's audit of all claims made under the second homes allowance dating back five years. | In his interview with Total Politics, Sir Nicholas criticised the money spent on Sir Thomas Legg's audit of all claims made under the second homes allowance dating back five years. |
| "The man is raking it in. Do you know how much he has earned for chairing the review? He has earned so far £142,000. | "The man is raking it in. Do you know how much he has earned for chairing the review? He has earned so far £142,000. |
| "And the actual cost of the review is currently over £1.1m. These are megabucks." | "And the actual cost of the review is currently over £1.1m. These are megabucks." |
| Speaking to the BBC, he also singled out Sir Christopher Kelly, chairman of the committee on standards in public life, and Sir Ian Kennedy, head of the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. | Speaking to the BBC, he also singled out Sir Christopher Kelly, chairman of the committee on standards in public life, and Sir Ian Kennedy, head of the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. |
| "The people who are sitting in judgement of us not only travel first class themselves, but in the main are on at least twice the salary of members of Parliament." | "The people who are sitting in judgement of us not only travel first class themselves, but in the main are on at least twice the salary of members of Parliament." |