Sarah Champion Labour MP for scandal-hit Rotherham bills public £17 for poppy wreath

[-:Undertaker:-]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...rance-Day.html

Labour MP Sarah Champion billed the taxpayer £17 for a poppy wreath for Remembrance Day

A Labour MP is to repay expenses after claiming the cost of a poppy wreath to honour the war dead on Remembrance Day.

Sarah Champion admitted the claim 'should never have been made' and will return the £17 to the expenses watchdog this week.

The MP, who was the star of a documentary about life in the Commons, billed the taxpayer for the tribute last November.

Labour MP Sarah Champion billed the taxpayer £17 for a poppy wreath for Remembrance Day

According to official releases from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, Miss Champion submitted the claim for 'Wreath for Remembrance Sunday', describing it as 'necessary expenses to 11/11/14'.

IPSA paid the £17, despite MPs being banned from claiming for wreaths.

Miss Champion was elected as MP for Rotherham in 2012 after Labour's Denis Macshane quit before being jailed over his expenses.

The revelation about the wreath is embarrassing for an MP who has built a reputation for railing against the Westminster Establishment.

Andy Silvester, from the Taxpayers' Alliance, told The Sun: 'Trying to put the bill on somebody else to honour our servicemen and women is downright low.

'And then IPSA approving it shows just how out of touch this monster of a quango is.'

I don't usually post *** for tat stories like this as it's what we've come to expect from our political class these days from duck houses to plugs, and as disgraceful as it is it isn't the reason why I have posted. The reason is this: given what has gone on in Rotherham which is the biggest scandal for a decade in British politics and society yet nobody wants to talk about it (for obvious reasons) - you'd think that even in a rotten solid safe seat like this she'd be on her best behaviour given the challenge she is facing there in May. She obviously thinks she can continue to take the piss.

On May 7th this seat, as well as the two other Rotherham seats, will be the ones I will be watching closely.

Thoughts?

[Inseriousity.]

I like her. I was watching Inside the Commons and she came off really well in that then later on Daily Politics, she sounded human yet professional at same time when talking about Rotherham. I know that MPs can make mistakes cos they're still human but it's just common sense not to claim for a wreath, for a car trip that takes 5 minutes (just throwing out other examples here) etc etc. They're just silly

[-:Undertaker:-]

I like her. I was watching Inside the Commons and she came off really well in that then later on Daily Politics, she sounded human yet professional at same time when talking about Rotherham. I know that MPs can make mistakes cos they're still human but it's just common sense not to claim for a wreath, for a car trip that takes 5 minutes (just throwing out other examples here) etc etc. They're just silly

What I don't understand about some of the claims, the likes of poppy wreaths and bathroom plugs, is that they have no shame. It's one thing trying to claim all sorts on the expenses form (and many are justified such as staffing allowances, a normal priced sofa etc) but it's another to have the nerve to apply for a poppy wreath of which the proceeds go to the Royal British Legion and a 10p plug: in the knowledge that the form will be made public. I have often wondered if there's a correlation and direct cause between taking the piss/outright fraud and rotten safe seats. No seat should be safe in my eyes.

As for Champion herself, I have zero time for her or the other two and she's rather late to the party when it comes to what has happend in Rotherham. If there's want result I really really want this May regarding an incumbant member of parliament, it's her and the other two in Rotherham seats thrown out on their arses.

[Chippiewill]

Considering the wreath was part of her work duty I don't see the issue. I mean politically it looks bad, but its not like she went out and bought a wreath to look good, usually they're supplied.

[AgnesIO]

Considering the wreath was part of her work duty I don't see the issue. I mean politically it looks bad, but its not like she went out and bought a wreath to look good, usually they're supplied.

According to an Independent Committee she is not allowed to claim expenses on something like this.