A MUM of three has written to Gordon Brown to say she is “ashamed” to live in a country where she struggles to feed her family while MPs live a luxury lifestyle.

Sandy Nuttall, aged 41, of Kelsall was so alarmed at the news that Labour MPs voted to reject reforms to their expenses and could still choose items from the “John Lewis list” for their second home that she decided to write to the Prime Minister to tell him about her life.

She told him: “It takes all we have to keep the home we live in, to pay a mortgage, utility bills and buy clothes for ourselves and children. I struggle every week to buy food for my family.”

Sandy’s husband works full time on a low income, she stays at home to look after her youngest son. She says she tries not to use the car very often because of petrol costs but in a rural area this leaves her isolated.

She asked Mr Brown: “Why should MPs live a life of luxury, when many families live on the poverty line. I wish my family could shop at John Lewis and buy plasma TVs. Buying shoes, school uniforms and trying to survive is all I can do for my family.”

Sandy said that when people think of Cheshire they think of the luxury lifestyle, but they forget about those who live in rural areas, on low incomes and struggle to cope with everyday costs.

She tells Mr Brown: “If your MPs lived my life for one week they would not be able to cope.”

She added: “I am not wanting to be like any of you, I am not jealous or wishing I was rich. I would just like a better life without feeling worried when I go food shopping.”

At the end of Sandy’s letter she asks Mr Brown to look at his own life.

She said: “You have two sons of your own, would you like your wife to live like this? I think your answer to that would be no. So why should so many families live like this?”

Sandy has also sent the letter to Conservative leader David Cameron and is now waiting for a response.