Sponsored by
Tory raises expenses issue
A CONSERVATIVE vying to be the next Isle MP has attacked incumbent Labour MP Ian Cawsey over the contentious issue of expenses - just weeks ahead of the general election.
Mr Cawsey has been attacked by his Tory opponent, Andrew Percy, who is looking to unseat him when voters go to the polls within the next few months.
The backdrop to the spat has been the recent announcement that all MPs are to enjoy a 1,000 pay rise from April - increasing their annual salaries to 65,737.
Both candidates have said they would donate this increase to charity, if elected, but Mr Percy has gone on the offensive by attacking a number of Mr Cawsey's expense claims.
"Long before the expenses scandal broke, I was campaigning for the scrapping of the controversial communications allowance which effectively allows MPs to use taxpayers' money to promote themselves locally, thus boosting their chances of re-election," Mr Percy said.
"Despite claiming this allowance and over 15,000 on food over five years, Mr Cawsey now tells us he will give his pay rise to charity if re-elected. Whilst I welcome his late conversion, his announcement is more about the election than anything else."
Mr Percy has made a number of promises if he wins the seat, including not to use the communications allowance or first class rail travel.
Mr Cawsey said: "My expenses have been online for years before parliament released them all Andrew can do is add up several years figures and then present them as one to imply something that is simply not the case.
"The truth is that Sir Thomas Legg has done a forensic analysis of MPs allowances going back five years which found all of mine to be in order, unlike the nearly 400 MPs who had to repay money. The latest MPs London allowances for 2008/9 show mine to be the lowest in the area and one of the lowest in the entire country. These can be seen via my website www.iancawsey.co.uk."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Epworth
Monday 21 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North
