Tameside Mafia

The Stalybridge & Hyde Labour candidate is ... Jonny Reynolds

noreply@blogger.com (caporegime) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:24:00 +0000

Yes, you heard it here first - the Stalybridge and Hyde Constituency Labour Party have selected Councillor Jonathan Reynolds to replace James Purnell as the official Labour candidate for the MP post.

Sean Parker-Perry - preparing for battle

noreply@blogger.com (caporegime) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 20:04:00 +0000

We hear that following the revelations about his political dirty tricks and topsy-turvy sex life, Sean Parker-Perry is preparing for battle with the press and public. As you can see from the photograph, he is taking a characteristically OTT approach to it...

Like (ex) father (in law), like (ex) son (in law) - Part 4

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +0000

You would have thought that things couldn't get much worse for Cllr Sean Parker-Perry, following the recent revelations about his idiotic attempts to smear a fellow Longdendale Councillor. But it seems that some people are so outraged by his behaviour, they're feeding us info about other tricks that he's getting up to.

It is known in political circles that the relationship between Cllr. Sean Parker-Perry and Lady Fiona Pendry has been on the rocks for some time. We had been told that at one point earlier in 2009 Sean had moved out of their home in Broadbottom, and even put the house up for sale. Then we were told just weeks later that Sean had moved back in again.

Everything was presumed to be going well when Fiona gave birth to a daughter in November 2009. However, the Mafia was told that Sean not long after moved into an apartment in Hollingworth just before Christmas. Well, it seems as if Sean has moved on already and got a new bit on the side who is not long into her twenties, as seen pictured with Sean at a New Years Eve bash.

We do wonder what Lord Tom "The Baron" Pendry thinks of all this considering Sean used him to climb the political ladder. However given Pendry's past with women, he hardly has any room to talk ...

Sean Parker-Perry is at it again...

noreply@blogger.com (caporegime) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:20:00 +0000

Tameside Eye is breaking with news that internal bloodletting has broken out in the local Labour Mafia, over the tussle to become the replacement for James Purnell. And in the thick of it is that prize twerp Sean Parker-Perry, this time doing the dirty on his fellow Longdendale Councillor Jonathan 'Jonny' Reynolds.

You would have thought that given his past track record, Parker-Perry would have learned not to meddle with the internet, but the evidence Tameside Eye has presented seems pretty damning. It'll be interesting to see what happens, but it looks like Parker-Perry's political career is effectively over.

But what of Parker-Perry's allegations about Reynolds? Perhaps we'll return to that at a later date?

Is Roy Oldham losing his grip on power? Tameside Eye's brilliant 'Downfall' parody

noreply@blogger.com (caporegime) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:25:00 +0000

You've seen all the other Downfall parodies out there, but Tameside Eye have produced a great version which pictures Roy Oldham's last days in the bunker/TACO. After learning about the inside info, we think his days are numbered...

James Purnell's "Golden Goodbye"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:23:00 +0000

It has been revealed that Stalybridge & Hyde MP and former Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions, James Purnell was given a "golden goodbye" for when he resigned as a cabinet minister back in June.

If an MP is to leave their ministerial post under any circumstances they are entitled to a severance payment equivalent to one quarter of their final salary. James Purnell's salary for being in charge of the DWP was £144,520 plus a generous pension, this would mean that Purnell would of been paid a staggering £36,130 for resigning from his government post.

Commenting on the news, Liberal Democrat Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Steve Webb said:

“People will be shocked to learn that former ministers get these pay-offs even when they have been sacked or left of their own free will.

“Ministers should not be rewarded for failure.

“While thousands are losing their jobs, failed ministers get a huge payout on top of their salary as MPs. This can’t go on.”

And if James Purnell loses his seat come the next general election, he will get a "resettlement grant" between £32,383 and £64,766 depending on the length of service as an MP or 50 to 100 per cent of his final salary. The first £30,000 of any ‘resettlement’ payment is tax-free.

According to the TaxPayer's Alliance, the "resettlement grant" is an alternative to redundancy and has been established to help MPs to adjust to "non parliamentary life". Diddums! This will come as a culture shock to Purnell who is nothing more than a career MP.

Source: Liberal Democrats

Flippin' Heck!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:20:00 +0000

What do we have here? Not learning from his London apartment left like a pigsty, James Purnell's so called primary home is looking a right shit tip. Judging from the above picture with the kitchen sink, cooker and washing machine left in his front garden for all to see, it would seem that James Purnell is having a new kitchen fitted.

But why is James Purnell doing up his home when neighbors can't recall him staying over one night since buying the property in 2002? Only one can assume the village gossip in Broadbottom that Purnell is a fraud - according to green book rules, Purnell needs to stay at his primary residence (which he has nominated his Broadbottom home) for at least 183 days, so he can claim an additional costs allowance on a second property - which he has nominated in London, where he can always be found.

Because James Purnell is never in Broadbottom - not 183 days, he is fraudulently claiming for a second home at the expense of the taxpayer. Since the anger over MPs expenses, people are more savvy over the rules which puts Purnell in the spotlight. So we can only assume that Purnell has flipped his home to appease the commons authorities so he now pays for his London lifestyle from his own pocket.

Related article: Who Lives in a House Like This?
Hat-Tip: Longdendale Conservatives

Lord Sheldon: Tax Dodger, Thief...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:56:00 +0000

The Times today reveals that former Labour MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, Lord Robert Sheldon dodged paying inheritance tax by giving his house to his son, Terry in 2003. The problem is that Lord Sheldon claimed the property to be his primary residence, yet it is alleged that he never lived there and fraudulently claimed £130,000 of expenses on the property over the past six years courtesy of the taxpayer.

House prices in the Darley Avenue area of Didsbury where Lord Sheldon's house is located (pictured right) are recently valued at £600,000. Taking today's house price, Terry Sheldon would be owing £110,000 in inheritance tax thus depriving Her Majesty's Treasury.

Sheldon's home in London is rather cushy too, it is located a stones throw away from the Ritz Hotel on Ryder Street. The apartment is in St. James's Chambers and according to the Times, properties in the area sell for an average of £1.1m.

It isn't the first time that Lord Sheldon has been involved in controversy. In 2000 a complaint was made about Lord Sheldon failing to fully declare his directorships and shareholdings. The complaint alleged that questions asking for aid from the government for manufacturers and exporters which Lord Sheldon asked in Parliament were a conflict of interest with the companies he owned which manufacture textiles and are traded across the globe. It was revealed in the investigation that in 1998, Lord Sheldon's companies made a total profit of £1.2m.

The whole situation stinks due to Labour defending high levels of inheritance tax saying it is reasonable, yet one of their Lord's is actively dodging it. The irony is that Lord Sheldon was once a Financial Secretary to the Treasury and in his later years as an MP, he served as Chairman of the Commons Public Accounts Committee scrutinizing public spending. Sheldon is a hypocrite of the highest order and his contempt for the public purse means that he should be stripped of his Lordship.

Those wishing to register a grievance with Lord Sheldon can do so by contacting him at: 27 Darley Avenue, West Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2ZD.

UPDATE: The Sunlight Centre for Open Politics, the group who successfully campaigned to make MPs expenses public, has made an official complaint with the House of Lords authorities.

Roy "2 Jags" Oldham

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 23:29:00 +0000

You may have spotted two new Jaguar's parked besides the town hall steps. One is a Jaguar XJ and the other is a Jaguar XF which replace the Ford Dorchester. The council professes that the cars are a "greener deal".

Indeed the Jaguar's are a greener deal comparing them to the dated Ford Dorchester which does 12 Miles Per Gallon. The latest Jaguar XJ is quoted at doing 40.1 MPG and the Jaguar XF can do 37.6 MPG.

However if the council wants to go green then why couldn't it opt for a much greener vehicle such as the Toyota Prius which can do 65 MPG - nearly double that of the Jaguar's and much cheaper too! Tameside Council Leader, Cllr. Roy Oldham is constantly bleating about how environmentally friendly the Prius is, that he replaced the entire fleet of Ford Focus cars for the Prius. So why doesn't he drive in one himself?

Roy owns a Volkswagen Golf which is hardly ever used as he is chauffeur driven from his home in Mottram to the council offices. Even the Chief Executive, Steven Pleasant who lives in Broadbottom drives himself in a Prius to work. If it is good enough for Steven Pleasant, then why not Roy Oldham?

The cars cost the taxpayer a total of £1,662 per month, with the Jaguar XJ costing £950 per month and the Jaguar XF costs £712 per month. Both cars cost £44,650 and £33,464 respectively over their 47 month lease or £78,114 combined.

What is odd that the council could own a Jaguar XJ for £44,604 and an XF for £32,900. Both are cheaper to buy rather than rent, so why waste taxpayers money?

It seems that TMBC have not learned their lesson from last time when they caused a stink in the local press by leasing a BMW for dear old Uncle Roy. Now that the BMW has gone, we can now call our glorious leader, Roy "2 Jags" Oldham.

What a Bell End!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 17:01:00 +0000

People reading the local press may have noticed the hype coming from Tameside Council Conservative Group Leader, Councillor John Bell picking up our campaign against the huge amount of money wasted on statues and artwork in the borough.

The thing is, back in 2007 John Bell was actually favour of the bronze plaques in the borough as this video from Channel M where 56 seconds into the video, Councillor Bell states "I welcome these to be put in every ward in Tameside".

Make your mind up John!

Hat-tip: No Mottram Bypass

Vote for... Tameside Mafia

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 16:39:00 +0000

Total Politics are running their annual "Best Blogs Poll" for 2009. As we have now been going for just over a year, we thought we would give it a go.

If you feel it in your heart to vote for us, then please do so by following the rules below:

1. You must vote for your ten favourite blogs and ranks them from 1 (your favourite) to 10 (your tenth favourite).
2. Your votes must be ranked from 1 to 10. Any votes which do not have rankings will not be counted.
3. You MUST include ten blogs. If you include fewer than ten your vote will not count.
2. Email your vote to toptenblogs@totalpolitics.com
3. Only vote once.
4. Only blogs based in the UK, run by UK residents are eligible or based on UK politics are eligible.
5. Anonymous votes left in the comments will not count. You must give a name
6. All votes must be received by midnight on 31 July 2009. Any votes received after that date will not count.

Exclusive: Cllr. Steve Smith Drink Driving Shame

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:42:00 +0000

We have an exclusive for you. The Labour councillor for the St. Peter's ward, Stephen Smith has handed in his resignation after being caught drink driving. It gets better, the former deputy mayor is also a member on the alcohol licensing speakers panel!

The irony is that the Conservative candidate for Denton North East, Floyd Paterson, is an anti drink driving campaigner. Oh dear...

The Mafia has been told that Steven Pleasant, the newly appointed chief executive of Tameside Council is "sitting" on the resignation due to the Denton North East by-election. We will have more news on this as it develops.

Spitting Image: Combine Harvester Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:50:00 +0000

Well what do we have here? It is Denise Ward, the Labour hopeful for the Denton North East by-election. Denise was at the Veteran's Day celebrations sporting the Worzel Gummidge look, which is odd for a hairdresser.

Then we have Labour councillor for Denton South, Andrew ~~Doubledick~~ Doubleday who looks like Tubbs from The League of Gentlemen. Are you local? Local jobs for local people?

And last of all we have the failed Labour Party candidate for Hyde Werneth or "Denton South community campaigner" Claire Francis who looks like Olive from On the Busses.

Have you got any ideas for a future spitting image? Leave them in the comments below.

A £4,500 Rubbish Bin

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:07:00 +0000

You may remember our little exclusive back in November where we revealed the cost of statues in Ashton town centre. One of those was an open guitar case costing £4,500. When the guitar case was first laid there, the local scroterati tried picking up the coins stuck to the bottom. Now it seems they now resort to using it as a rubbish bin...

Andrew Gwynne's Expenses

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:26:00 +0000

To view Andrew Gwynne's expenses, MP for Denton and Reddish then:

PLEASE CLICK HERE

David Heyes Expenses

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:28:00 +0000

To view the David Heyes expenses, MP for Ashton-under-Lyne then:

PLEASE CLICK HERE

James Purnell's Expenses

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:21:00 +0000

To view James Purnell's expenses, MP for Stalybridge and Hyde then:

PLEASE CLICK HERE

If only real life was like this...

noreply@blogger.com (caporegime) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 18:10:00 +0000

BREAKING: James Purnell Resigns

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 21:21:00 +0000

Stalybridge and Hyde MP, James Purnell has joined his fellow Blairites in resigning from his position as Cabinet Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions in a daming letter to Gordon Brown calling for his resignation.

Purnell was out this evening leafleting outside Broadbottom Railway Station with Roy Oldham, Sean Parker-Perry and Jonny Reynolds. He later got in a clapped out silver car with rusty red megaphones shouting "vote labour". How the mighty have fallen...

UPDATE: Just spoken to a journo at Sky News. He stayed at Jonny Reynolds house last night! Why? It is only 0.9 miles down the road. Ah that maybe why...

View Larger Map

UPDATE UPDATE: BBC & Sky saying that Cllr. Kevin Welsh, Chair of Stalybridge & Hyde Constituency Labour Party is spouting that "Purnell has made a mistake".

Stay tuned...

James Purnell's "Conservative" Reading List

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 25 May 2009 14:20:00 +0000

Yet more expenses have come out for Stalybridge and Hyde MP and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, James Purnell. Instead of the more trivial items, The Telegraph is starting to get to the nitty gritty of his expense claims.

Many have argued that the careerist MP is a Conservative in wolves clothing and looking at the books that James reads, that would suggest so. James, who is close friends of the former Prime Minister Tony Blair and tipped as a future leader of the Labour Party, claimed a total of £42 on books from Amazon courtesy of the taxpayer which included:

Reflections on the Revolution in France
Edmund Burke

According to the Telegraph, this book is kept by Conservatives as a case against 20th Century Socialism. Other books by the author include "The evils of revolution".

Amazon price: £6.29

Modern Conservatism
David Willetts MP

Penned by the Conservative MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Willets is seen as a 'centrist moderniser' in David Cameron's Conservatives. Before becoming an MP he served as a researcher to Nigel Lawson and later Margaret Thatcher's policy unit.

Amazon Price: £0.01 (Used and New)

Good to Great
Jim Collins

Jim Collins is a management theorist. According to the Telegraph, the book tells readers “there are no silver bullets to greatness”.

Amazon Price: £15.39

Following on from the article, the Telegraph alleges that James claimed £247 for 3,000 “flexible fridge magnets”. We can only presume that they are for the big fridge which accommodates £400 a months worth of groceries. Also claimed was £223 for a new digital camera which was classed as an office expense.

On another article, The Telegraph attacks MPs who used taxpayer funds to promote themselves with local sports teams. Purnell claimed £411.25 on a programme advertisement for the 2004/05 season at Stalybridge Celtic Football Club as part of his communications allowance. The Telegraph doesn't mention any further advertising after that. Perhaps it had something to do with the small detail that there was a general election in 2005?

The hole for James just gets deeper ...

James Purnell's Constituents Not Fooled At All

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:44:00 +0000

Click to enlarge
This week's Advertiser carries a postbag of angry letters published in relation to Stalybridge & Hyde MP and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, James Purnell's expenses and his somewhat "empty" call for reform on MPs expenses. Nobody was fooled...

Now there has to be one idiot and that came from Labour party member, Dr. Kailash Chand (Pictured with Purnell at the 2005 General Election) who thinks MPs expenses should be kept secret!

And today, James Purnell faced fresh allegations from the Daily Telegraph that like Hazel Blears, owes money in unpaid capital gains tax and new expense claims. This time for claiming £395 on an accountant for “tax advice provided in October 2004 regarding sale of flat”. Which means he is too lazy or thick to fiddle his own expenses. Another spokesman for James Purnell responded to the Telegraph stating:

“Any allegation that James avoided capital gains tax is completely untrue. When he bought his constituency home, the sale of his London flat fell through, but it was sold within the period that HMRC continue to treat it as not being liable for CGT.

“No one pays CGT when they sell the only house they own and James was not liable for capital gains tax on his London flat.

“This would have been true for any taxpayer — there was no special treatment. To be clear that he was paying the right tax, James sought advice at the time and has since contacted the HMRC to ask them to double check. HMRC have confirmed that there is no CGT to pay.”

Which we agree with. Purnell owes NO capital gains tax. He is telling the truth when he says his primary home is in London and he is never in Broadbottom. He has a lot of questions to answer for claiming a second home allowance. Since becoming an MP in 2001, Purnell has claimed £143,695 on his London home. His record on TheyWorkForYou shows that James has constantly claimed the maximum in Additional Costs Allowances.

Purnell continued to refute the claims that he avoided paying capital gains tax on the BBC's North West Tonight (below) by saying "I do not avoid taxes, I do not seek to avoid taxes, I believe people should pay their taxes and I paid every penny that was due".

When James Purnell was asked by NWT if he would be suing the Daily Telegraph for being accused of something that's not true, he dodged the question by laughing it off saying "I hope you enjoyed my welfare speech and I'm delighted you came".

Expenses maybe a laughing matter for James, but not for his constituents. Judging by the comments made in the local press, they are eager to get rid of this hypocrite.

Who Lives in a House Like This?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Who lives in a house like this? Well this Labour MP really likes his net curtains. Known to be a mucky MP - not for his reputation as a womanizer with his numerous flings with women or the auctioneering of the Hutton report signed by Alistair Campbell and Cherie Blair, but by his somewhat lack of cleanliness. Notice how the bins have been left knocked over and the PVC windows need a good scrubbing. Over to you David...

Yes this is the home of the Cabinet Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions, James Purnell MP. The MP for Stalybridge & Hyde who has a salary of over £140,000 per year supposedly lives in a terraced house which he bought in 2002 for £50,000 as his primary home at 66 Mottram Road, Broadbottom.

Purnell quickly obtained the house after inheriting the "safe" seat of Stalybridge & Hyde from Lord Tom Pendry after being dropped in there by his long time good friend, Tony Blair in an attempt to make it look like as if he was a local lad. James lives in quite a desirable area of Tameside. The house prices for the area are considerably low in comparison to other houses in the area which averaged over £75,000.

Rumour has it that the houses in that row of terraces suffer from subsidence hence the cheap price. So presumably a bank wouldn't hand out a mortgage, so he would have to buy the house outright. Money being no problem for James after being privately educated from the Guildford Royal Grammar School which currently costs £4244 per term.

Lets cut to the chase. Purnell is one of the MPs currently being investigated by HMRC for dodging paying Capital Gains Tax for "flipping" his primary home. The Times originally reported in 2008 that Purnell sold his London "mansion" in 2004 as his primary household in order to avoid paying capital gains tax. Yet he claimed the full amount in additional costs allowance (ACA) for his second home through 2001 to 2003. However somewhat conveniently for James, he could not remember which property he claimed on between becoming an MP in 2001 to 2003. He claimed to the Times that "parliamentary authorities had destroyed the records because they were so old". According to the Express, James is not offering to pay back the dodged capital gains tax.

As mentioned in the past, we are confused as to why James Purnell is charging the taxpayer over £2,000 a month to rent a London apartment which he leaves like a tip, yet he has sold his mansion off. It just doesn't make sense. It is obvious that Purnell is keeping his Broadbottom home as a shed to claim it is his primary home so he can keep to his comforts in London where he was originally a councillor in Islington to claim ACA.

Purnell is already digging a hole for himself by bleating to the local press that expenses need reform. It as seen as by many, too little, too late especially after being caught with the hands in the till. As one reader pointed out, Commons guidelines say that for a home to be classed as a main residence, a MP needs to spend more than 183 days a year there. Going off the above pictures, it is highly unlikely that James lives here. After conversing with neighbours, they confirmed that they know that the house belongs to James Purnell, but they have never seen him there. Instead we are lead to believe that when on constituency business that James spends his time in the Raddison Hotel in Manchester.

We, the taxpayer are paying for James Purnell to live a lavish lifestyle in London at our expense by scoffing through £400 a month on grocery expenses whilst his constituents struggle to pay the bills and suffer from high levels of unemployment as a result of Labour's recession. What makes it all worse is that James is telling the public that there needs to be a crackdown on benefit claims - it isn't really credible coming from a minister abusing those rules. He even has the nerve to say that £60 a week Job Seekers Allowance is enough to live on, yet he claims many times over that. His position as MP for Stalybridge and Hyde is untenable and we don't mean a sacking from Gordon Brown, but the only option to get rid of this crook good and proper - the ballot box.

Purnell Pockets £10k

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 May 2009 15:37:00 +0000

For the third time within a month, Stalybridge and Hyde MP and Cabinet Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions, James Purnell has been yet again caught abusing the Parliamentary expenses by claiming £10,143 more for his rent on his London home which he left like a "pigsty".

The Sunday Express (who must really have it in for James) have revealed that Purnell was claiming £2010 a month for his rent yet according to bank records actually only paid £910 every month. Out of the £2010 Purnell would "reimburse" his ex-fiance, Lucy Walker.

The news comes after the porky parliamentarian claimed £400 a month on groceries and £100 a month on hiring a cleaner.

What confuses the mafia is that James sold his London "mansion" in 2004 as his PRIMARY residence and dodged paying £20,000 of capital gains tax regardless of claiming a SECOND home allowance. So if he sold a property then why is he now renting somewhere? Does Purnell have another house elsewhere which we don't know about? Is he building a property portfolio whilst we pay for him to pig out?

It is clear that James Purnell has been taking the piss out of the tax payer - whether it is in the rules or not. As the man in charge of a crackdown on so-called benefit cheats and enforcing stricter rules on claiming disability benefits he contradicts the message he is trying to send out to the public by fiddling the system himself.

Another Mucky Minister: James Purnell's Pigsty

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 08:40:00 +0000

James Purnell, the Labour MP for Stalybridge & Hyde and Work and Pensions Secretary has been in the press this morning after an exclusive from the Sunday Express. Pictures reveal that Purnell lived like a pig in his £1,820 a month London apartment he rented despite claiming £100 a month in cleaning and £586 in repairs totaling £1636 as part of his MP's second home allowance.

Pictures from James Purnell's London apartment
James racked up a £5,000 bill in damages whilst living at the apartment. The property management company in charge of the apartment are holding Purnell's £2,520 deposit. According to the Sunday Express, he still owes £1,523.12.

James Purnell's constituency "home" in Broadbottom isn't much better either. Purnell bought the home in 2001 for £50,000. However locals tell the mafia he is never there and it looks a mess. So where does Purnell live when he is on constituency business? Well we are told he stays at another shithole - the Raddison in Manchester Piccadilly.

This comes weeks after it was revealed that James Purnell claimed £400 a month in food expenses on the tax payer. He eats like a pig and now we know he lives like one.

Purnell Troughs £400 a Month on Food Expenses

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 15:58:00 +0000

James Purnell has come under fire today for claiming £400 a month on food expenses. It is believed that the information has come about as more receipts are leaked to the press. The Daily Star also claims the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Stalybridge and Hyde MP claims for his council tax and utility bills. The receipts are to be released to the public in June.

It really does smack of hypocrisy that it was James Purnell who recently admitted on the Sunday Politics Show that £60 a week Job Seekers Allowance wasn't enough to live on, but those with families could earn up to £400 a week with tax credits (see video above) to pay for cost of living expenses such as food, rent and utility bills etc. Yet he claims £400 a month on food alone.

Under rules set out by the house of commons, MPs don't have to submit receipts for groceries, but they are able to claim up to £400 a month under the second home allowance. According to the Daily Star, James Purnell tried to claim £475 a month on his groceries, but this was rejected.

The question is, if a family can live off the state for £400 a month, then why can't an MP?