Sunday Times: MPs soak up Pounds 88m

Our MPs claimed Pounds 88m on expenses last year. The 646 members of the Commons claimed Pounds 136,000 on average to cover staff salaries, travel allowances, second home allowances and office costs.

The figure was hailed by Liberal Democrat Nick Harvey, a spokesman for the members estimate committee, as "excellent value for money". But Matthew Elliott of the Taxpayers' Alliance pressure group said: "No wonder voters have little respect for politicians when they see so many MPs with their snouts in the trough."

Shahid Malik, Labour MP for Dewsbury, headed the list by claiming Pounds 185,421, while Philip Hollobone, Tory MP for Kettering, managed to get by on just Pounds 44,551.

They should make the most of it while they can: a study showed last week that MPs who lose their seats often struggle to find work in the real world. One former member told researchers from Leeds University: "It's a hard, cold, unforgiving world outside Westminster."