Colne Valley MP Kali Mountford opens her expense accounts

May 19 2009 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Colne Valley MP Kali Mountford opens her accounts

COLNE Valley MP Kali Mountford has become the first MP to reveal her expenses claims to the Examiner.

It comes after we called for MPs to come clean about what they have claimed for as part of the controversial additional costs allowance which has already led to her getting offensive mail.

Ms Mountford and the other MPs had come in for stinging criticism, but yesterday she gave the Examiner the chance to look at her expenses in detail – and here they are.

Today MP Barry Sheerman will give us full access to his accounts.

With the exception of rent and living costs, Ms Mountford’s expenses forms dating back to 2004 show she has claimed for a £500 fridge freezer, a mattress worth £245 and a vacuum cleaner for £199.99.

Her main home is in Slaithwaite, a four-bed terraced property which she has a mortgage on.

“I believe home is where the family is and my family are here,” she said.

Until two weeks ago her second home was a one-bed flat in Pimlico.

But she has revealed she moved last week because of her disability and her second home is now a flat in County Hall, Lambeth.

Her rent is currently £1,181 a month which she claims for as part of the additional costs allowance.

A typical monthly expenses form also includes – £240 on food, £80 on utilities, £120 on phone and communications, £55 on cleaning, service and maintenance £50, £25 on insurance and £10 towards a TV licence.

Ms Mountford added: “I have always rented in London, never bought.

“I do believe that MPs need a second home near to Parliament if they don’t already live there.

“I can remember times we’d be there until 2am or 3am so we needed somewhere to go back to.”