MP's Anger at Expenses 'ban' on First-Class Travel



Sir Nicholas Winterton has angrily denounced plans to reduce first-class travel by MPs - telling the BBC he needs "quiet" and privacy to work.

The veteran Tory MP said there was a "totally different type of people" in standard-class train carriages.

He also said it was a "grotesque injustice" that the expenses system had been "misrepresented" by the media.

A Tory spokesman said Sir Nicholas's remarks were "the out-of-touch views of a soon-to-retire backbench MP".

"They do not in any way represent the views of David Cameron or that of the Conservative Party and should be treated as such," the spokesman added.

Macclesfield MP Sir Nicholas, who is standing down at the general election, spoke to the BBC following an interview with Total Politics magazine, in which he said restricting first-class travel left MPs "below local councillors".

'Need a seat'

Sir Nicholas, an MP since 1971, told BBC Radio 5 live that he had never received any complaints from constituents about travelling first class.

"Members of Parliament work extremely hard. They use the time that they spend travelling from their constituency to London undertaking work.

"But in order to be able to do that they need to be able to sit down, and you can't always do that in standard class... and you also need quiet and sadly, you don't very often get that in standard class.

"If I was in standard class I would not do work because people would be looking over your shoulder the entire time, there would be noise, there would be distraction."

He added: "They are a totally different type of people.

"There's lots of children, there's noise, there's activity. I like to have peace and quiet when I'm travelling."

Asked whether it mattered that the public might not agree with first-class travel, he said: "I'm sorry, the public are wrong. It's for Parliament to decide not the public."

'Grotesque injustice'

He added: "I'm angry because I believe that member of Parliament are being treated extremely unfairly. I believe many matters relating to expenses have been misrepresented.

"The word 'expenses' has been used when the word 'allowance' is much more applicable. To misrepresent that as expenses is a grotesque injustice."

Sir Nicholas and MP wife Ann Winterton, who is also standing down, faced criticism for claiming rent of £20,000 a year on a flat they transferred to a family trust after paying off the mortgage.

A seven-month inquiry into MPs' expenses last year recommended a series of changes to overhaul the system and improve public trust.

Among the proposals, currently under consideration by a new expenses body, is one saying MPs should "be permitted to claim for first-class train travel for longer journeys where issues of space or privacy in which to work make this appropriate".

But it says MPs "should always ensure that value for money for the taxpayer is provided when making travel arrangements".

It also recommends that they should only claim for economy class flights within the UK or Europe and stop claiming for first class travel for their families.

In his interview with Total Politics, Sir Nicholas criticised the "megabucks" spent on an audit of second homes allowance claims by Sir Thomas Legg, who he said was "raking it in".

Speaking to the BBC, he also singled out Sir Christopher Kelly, chairman of the committee on standards in public life, and Sir Ian Kennedy, head of the new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority.

"The people who are sitting in judgement of us not only travel first class themselves, but in the main are on at least twice the salary of members of Parliament."
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MPs are issued with travel warrants, I understand.

My opinion is this should continue, but be for standard class travel only. If someone wants the quiet and space of a first class carriage, they can pay the difference and maybe claim it as an expense later.

A Tory spokesman said Sir Nicholas's remarks were "the out-of-touch views of a soon-to-retire backbench MP".

"They do not in any way represent the views of David Cameron or that of the Conservative Party and should be treated as such," the spokesman added.

My opinion is this should continue, but be for standard class travel only. If someone wants the quiet and space of a first class carriage, they can pay the difference and maybe claim it as an expense later.

MPs are issued with travel warrants, I understand.
My opinion is this should continue, but be for standard class travel only. If someone wants the quiet and space of a first class carriage, they can pay the difference and maybe claim it as an expense later.

With second home allowances the bar stewards shouldn't need to travel that much anyway.

Yeah they'll have functions and engagements but distancing themselves from the people they represent should be an expense they cover.

But then you'll get MPs who don't go to Westminster very often to represent their constituent's views in Parliament.

My opinion is this should continue, but be for standard class travel only. If someone wants the quiet and space of a first class carriage, they can pay the difference and maybe claim it as an expense later.

Not sure I agree with that fully. Yes, if he has a travel warrant, let him use it for standard class travel. If he wants to upgrade it to first class, then that comes out of his pocket, not the public’s.

With second home allowances the bar stewards shouldn't need to travel that much anyway.

Yeah they'll have functions and engagements but distancing themselves from the people they represent should be an expense they cover.

"There's lots of children, there's noise, there's activity. I like to have peace and quiet when I'm travelling."