Stephen O’Brien talks to the Chronicle after MPs expenses are published

Jun 25 2009 by Dave Goodban, Chester Chronicle

Following The Daily Telegraph reports about MPs’ expenses, Cheshire West MPs have spoken to The Chronicle about their claims

EDDISBURY MP Stephen O’Brien says his assurance that he had “nothing to hide” over his expenses have been vindicated following the online publication of his allowances.

The Shadow Minister for Health came out smiling when the expense claims of every MP were released.

Speaking to the Chronicle from his Westminster office, the Tarporley-based 52-year-old Tory MP for Eddisbury reiterated his desire for ‘complete transparency’ across every aspect of parliamentary democracy.

“I’ve been very anxious, just because it’s been a terribly difficult time,” he said. “I’ve wanted to publish this stuff for ages but we were strongly advised not to over data protection issues.”

While revelations by the Daily Telegraph have embarrassed some MPs and forced others to announce they will not be standing at the next General Election, Mr O’Brien – whose Eddisbury constituency covers Cuddington, Davenham, Moulton, Oakmere and Winsford – has stayed out of the headlines.

“I’m so glad it’s transparent now,” he said. “No-one can suggest I was trying to hide anything.”

Mt O’Brien spent £349 on a ‘stool’ for his second home, ‘a small mid-1980s terraced box’ in September 2005, and £195 on a chair in May 2007.

He also spent £679.78 of the public’s money on a Toshiba television and accessories including a DVD player and Freeview box in November 2004 at the Comet store in Chester.

And the taxpayer footed a £584.55 Orange mobile phone bill paid in October, 2007, for the previous month, when he was in Africa in his capacity as chairman of the All Party Group on Malaria.

Mr O’Brien claimed a total of £153,027 in parliamentary expenses for the 2007/08 financial year.

More than £88,000 was spent on staff, and £23,426 was claimed for costs incurred in running his Westminster office.

He also claimed £23,034 for his second home allowance and £15,418 for travel costs, but did not receive a penny for communications.

“I’ve never ‘flipped’ or claimed for anything I shouldn’t have,” said Mr O’Brien.

“My house in Cheshire and everything in it is bought and paid for out of my and my wife’s own savings.”

Full details of all MPs’ expenses can be seen online at www.parliament.com. Key details such as addresses and bank and credit card numbers have all been blacked out – redacted – allegedly for ‘security and privacy’ reasons.

The process of redaction has poured further scorn on parliamentarians who are accused of trying to perpetrate an inept cover up to hide any further embarassment.

It backfired spectacularly, succeeding only in enraging the public into further fits of fury!