Nick Gibb on MPs' expenses - I could be earning more as an accountant

The MP voluntarily opened his expenses files to the Observer.

He made the details of all his claims of recent years available to the newspaper to check he had not expected taxpayers to fund his lifestyle unreasonably, or even illegally.

He hasn't. There were piles of receipts for office expenses, taxi and train tickets for journeys in his role as the Conservatives' shadow schools minister and plenty of invoices relating to his second home, but they were well within the expenses rules.

They totalled 158,541 in 2007-8 to put him 118th out of 645 MPs, and 139,611 the previous year when he was 291st.

Mr Gibb is rare among MPs in relying solely on his 64,766 House of Commons yearly salary.

Many others take up lucrative part-time positions with companies to supplement their basic income.

Mr Gibb was elected to parliament in 1997 on a pledge he would devote himself full-time to his Bognor and Littlehampton residents.

He has kept to that vow. "I feel very strongly that being an MP is a full-time job," he said.

"We are paid 64,766 to do that job and that is a good salary in most people's eyes. It is a salary for a full-time job and that's what I should be doing.

"I think it's wrong to take directorships. I wouldn't have time to spend two mornings a week on an outside interest.

"I didn't come into politics for money. I came into politics out of a sense of public service and strong views about how our country should be run.

"If I was interested in money, I would have stayed with KPMG."

He said an accountant in a role comparable to his before he was elected could earn up to 100,000 a year. If he had been promoted to become a partner in such a major financial firm, his annual salary now would be well into six-figures.

Mr Gibb has kept the City of London flat he occupied when he worked at KPMG as his principal home under Commons rules.

His second home was in Aldwick, but he moved in September 2007 to South Mundham.

It is a mile outside his constituency boundary and he said it enabled him to avoid being accused of bias when dealing with issues such as planning.

He has always designated his local home as his second home, unlike some MPs who have swopped the designation between properties to maximise their gains.

"When I moved house, I paid my own stamp duty and I have never engaged in 'flipping'," he stated.

"Some people have asked why I need a second home when many people commute to London each day from Bognor and Littlehampton.

"Given the unpredictable and long hours of work of an MP '“ both in the Commons and the constituency '“ it would be impossible to do the job without a base in both places."

At Westminster, Mr Gibb said he was equally strict about his claims.

"Whenever I submit an expense claim, I am scrupulous in ensuring it is within, not only the letter of the rules, but also the spirit and

principles of the rules," he explained.

"The staffing costs in my officer are about average, notwithstanding my front bench responsibilities as the shadow minister for schools and the extra costs of 18,000 of maternity cover in 2007/8 when my secretary was on maternity leave.

"On other office costs, I remain one of the lowest spenders in the Commons, coming 518th out of 645 MPs in 2007/8."

We need two homes to do job properly

Mr Gibb has featured in the national spotlight on MPs' expenses for the 8,221 he claimed for his second home.

These were for 3,613.13 for external decorations in May 2004, 2,472.20 on roof repairs in December 2004, and 2,136.16 for internal decorating in February 2006.

He said this was the only major work he had carried out on the property in Aldwick.

He moved in September 2007, but, like countless other individuals, has been unable to sell it.

He is renting it out until the property market recovers.

"The job of an MP does mean we work in two places '“ Monday to Thursday in Westminster and Friday to Sunday in the constituency, which means there is a need to for two homes to do our job properly.

"I think it is reasonable MPs should receive some financial support for the cost of running a second home but the rules need to be tighter," he added.

What do you think? Click here to send a letter or leave a comment below.

Click here to go back to Chichester news

Click here to go back to Bognor Regis news

Click here to go back to Midhurst and Petworth news

To tell us where in the world you are reading this story click on the link below to add yourself to our readers' map.

MAP