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Wokingham MP John Redwood
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MP John Redwood admits expenses mistake

By Victoria Corbett
May 20, 2009

Wokingham MP John Redwood claimed more than £3,000 twice for redecorating his Pimlico bedsit, it has emerged.

The Tory politician was dragged into the MPs' expenses furore this week when his second home allowance claims were unveiled on Monday.

Mr Redwood made a duplicate claim for £3,275.31 in April 2007 for redecorating his London pad, according to files leaked to the Daily Telegraph.

Is it fair for an MP who lives in Wokingham to have a second home in London and - more importantly - claim for it? How many people who live in Wokingham commute every day to London for work? Do they get free train passes? Have your say here.

Mr Redwood apologised for what he called a mistake.

He also defended his claims for a second home after prospective candidates for Wokingham said it was unacceptable to have one when London is easily commutable.

Reading East MP Rob Wilson, whose constituency includes Woodley, and Reading West MP Martin Salter do not claim for a second home.

Maidenhead MP Theresa May, whose constituency includes Twyford, claims less than £5,000.

But despite claiming £22,729 for his second home allowance, Mr Redwood has the cheapest overall expenses bill of all Berkshire MPs.

Last week fellow MP Andrew MacKay, whose Bracknell constituency includes Finchampstead, was forced to resign as parliamentary aide to Tory leader David Cameron after his exoenses claims were deemmed unacceptable.

- Read the full details of Mr Redwood's expenses claims in this week's Wokingham Times.

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Most recent user comments 4 of 4

Aside from this issue, many MPs 'employ' their family members. Is this right? SHouldn't public jobs such as these be open to all to employee? Is it really the case that for many MPs, their family members were the best qualified for the job?

fm, wokingham
27/05/2009 at 12:45

John Redwood with his snout in the trough... what a surprise! How dare he claim for a second home when thousands of his constituents on lower wages have to commute to London every day. At worst it's an unpleasant hour on the train followed by a five minute walk from Waterloo station.

Ginette Thorne, Wokingham
23/05/2009 at 21:46

A mistake? Oh well, that's all right then !!

Wobbly, Wokingham
22/05/2009 at 22:53

£3000 seems to be a rather excessive amount to pay for a small bedsit to be redecorated. As for claiming twice, I thought that receipts were required when expenses were submitted. Perhaps Mr Redwoods memory is failing if he is making this type of mistake. This of course bodes the question if his memory is so bad should he really be representing us in parliament? Time to resign and let some new blood have a go I think.