Apologetic MP pays back £14,000

The MP for Sherwood, Mr Paddy Tipping, has apologised for using taxpayers’ money to refurbish his London flat.

It was revealed last night that Mr Tipping has voluntarily paid back £14,000 of expenses money.

He is one of a large number of MPs from all parties who have paid back expenses claimed since 2003.

In 2003 Mr Tipping increased the mortgage on his property to provide money to carry out repairs, refurbishments, buy new furniture and redecorate.

"I have been worrying about this for some time," he said.

"It became clear to me that people’s views of expenses have changed since 2003.

"In March I decided it was wrong to claim that extra money. I talked to the House of Commons authorities and we worked out how much that interest cost."

Mr Tipping paid back the interest at the beginning of May.

"I made a mistake, I got it wrong. I’m sorry," he said.

"I’m trying to put it right and the best way of doing it is giving the money back.

"I come from a very ordinary, hard working family. I know people are struggling at the moment and it seemed wrong.

"I’m on a decent salary, a good income, and in effect I was asking taxpayers to subsidise that lifestyle."

Mr Tipping said he thought he would be criticised about his expenses but hoped people would realise that he had made a mistake and was now putting it right.

All 646 MPs’ expenses were revealed yesterday, but with many key details blocked out for security and privacy reasons.

Mr Tipping said he had always claimed the maximum monthly food allowance, even during the two-month summer recess. He said this was because he worked in London during the recess.

MPs were allowed to claim up to £400 a month for food without having to show receipts, but this has now been changed.

Mr Tipping said he was pleased that the allowance had been reduced to £25 for a night spent in London.

The published expenses also reveal that Mr Tipping paid £1,175 in 2006-7 to Lambeth Housing for external decoration and associated works.

He said he is a leaseholder in a block of flats in Lambeth, about a 15-minute walk from the House of Commons, and the payment was his share of the total cost of the work.

His other claims include £135 for a TV licence last year and £199.98 for a new vacuum cleaner from Currys.

Mr Tipping, who has claimed for a TV licence for the past four years, said: "I like to keep up with what is going on in the wider world. That is why I have got a small TV and a licence."

He said his old vacuum cleaner, which had been given to him by a family member, had worn out.

Mr Tipping said he thought the rules on expenses had been far too loose and hoped the Committee on Standards in Public Life would bring about changes.

"I have been pressing for a long time for an independent enquiry," he said.

"I think we need to try and be even more open than we are.

"The bond of trust has been broken and we need to re-grow it."