Bristol MP's £169 toaster claim 'reasonable'

Kingswood MP Roger Berry spent £15,000 kitting out his two-bed townhouse with luxury items including a £169 toaster, £979 television and a £1,000 washer dryer.

Mr Berry, a Labour backbencher, claimed the money over four years to spend on his second home in Southwark, London, the Post can reveal today.

Mr Berry, whose Bristol ward is one of the less prosperous in the city, also claimed for £3,425 of building works, £1,880 towards decorating his lounge and spent £2,264 on carpets.

Between 2004 and 2008 he submitted £999 worth of claims for furnishing, including four for the amount of £159 to cover monthly payments towards the cost of two sofas.

Under the rules governing second home expenses, MPs are not allowed to make purchases which would be deemed "extravagant or luxurious".

Mr Berry last night denied that he had behaved unreasonably.

He said: "The toaster is not an all-singing, all-dancing one – it's a type that will last for at least 10 years instead of something that won't last.

"The washing machine is an environmentally-friendly type which is also built to last.

"I don't think that the money paid for decorating the lounge is unreasonable.

"Unfortunately, those are the kind of prices that you have to pay in London these days."

He said the claims submitted to the fees office were not regarded as excessive.

He said that if they had thought they were, then the fees office would have queried the claims with him.

Mr Berry said he did not think that he had behaved unreasonably in relation to his second home which he has described as a "modest two bedroom townhouse". It has a living room downstairs and two bedrooms and bathroom upstairs.

His typical monthly expenses claim includes mortgage interest of around £960, £300 for food and £50 for utility bills.

Mr Berry published the receipts on his website ahead of their official release by the House of Commons next month.

MPs are allowed to claim back money for the cost of having to run two homes, which can cover mortgage or rent, bills, furniture and repairs among other things.

He told the Post: "I moved in to a new place in October 2003.

"The decorating costs were to get it sorted out and the building work was for a new boiler because the old one collapsed.

"My claims have dropped significantly because once these things have been bought it doesn't have to be bought again.

"There was substantial set up costs.

"I believe that I have been reasonable but I think there should be a completely independent group of people that go through every MP's expenses. They should have the power to order MPs to pay back anything they think is unreasonable and if they decided any of mine were, I would gladly do that.

"MPs have to have two places to live.

"If we didn't enable MPs to have a second home, that would mean only the rich could do the job.

"I don't think my constituents think I live in a country mansion, they know that I live in Fishponds and that is my main home.

"But so many people have been exposed that they might think we are all in the same category. It is hurtful but that is part of the turf.

"I supported the Freedom of Information Act and it is precisely to ensure that people behave properly.

"We might find it a bit embarrassing but that is life."

His claims for the last financial year under the Additional Costs Allowance came in at £14,717 – about 60 per cent of the maximum allowed.