Disgraced ex-MP gets to keep work laptop for big discount after being booted out

20 January 2024 , 18:35

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Margaret Ferrier speaking in the House of Commons before being ousted (Image: PA)

A disgraced former MP got to keep her taxpayer funded laptop for a knockdown price after being booted out of office. Margaret Ferrier, an ex-SNP MP, lost her seat in a recall vote after admitting to breaking Covid rules.

Newly published expenses data shows Ms Ferrier purchased her work laptop to keep after leaving office for just £320 - an £898 discount on the £1218 the taxpayer paid for it in 2020. The revelation comes in the latest release of MPs expenses data, published by watchdog IPSA this week.

It also reveals Tory MP Henry Smith claimed £300 in expenses to pay for his trip to speak at a conference about flags. Mr Smith, whose Twitter bio features an emoji of a Union Flag, gave a speech at the Flag Institute’s semi-annual conference in his role as the chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Flags and Heraldry.

Mr Smith said: "I participated at the Flag Institute conference in Edinburgh last November in my capacity as Chair of the Flags & Heraldry All Party Parliamentary Group."

And fellow Tory MP Mark Jenkinson charged taxpayers £56.98 for a new pair of wellies. The Workington MP and junior minister said he’d bought the waders for a visit to the Rivers Trust.

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The Plumbland waste water treatment site in Mr Jenkinson’s constituency had more sewage overflow last year than any other site in England. In total sewage was discharged at Plumbland for 6,896 hours - or 287 days - last year, contributing to the 744,793 hours that sewage spilled from storm overflows across the North of England.

Mr Jenkinson said: "I'm sure that even the extent of your investigative journalism would have revealed that I'm never afraid of rolling my sleeves up and getting stuck in on behalf of my constituents. Thank you for highlighting it."

He ended his response with a 'high five' emoji. All the expenses claimed were within the rules laid out by watchdog IPSA and declared properly.

Mikey Smith