Backlash as Sherwood MP explains £10K budget boost

Responding to headlines that MPs are being paid £10,000 extra to work from home, the Conservative Government Chief Whip said: “I want to be clear, this is just completely untrue, and very inappropriate reporting.

"The facts are MPs office budgets are being extended by up to £10,000 to cover 'office costs' - things like computers or laptops for staff to work from home.

"This money is not going into anyone's salary.

"This money is not a pay increase, it is an additional budget to help MPs staff be able to work from home by making sure they have sufficient equipment.

"We are receiving hundreds of specific coronavirus related emails, on top of the usual emails we receive, and I'm very grateful to my staff for putting in the extra hours and their hard work through all of this.

"To do that however, we need the proper equipment, and as we are working from home, we have needed to get additional equipment to make sure that we can still function as normally as possible as a Parliamentary office."

"I've wrote an open letter to all of my constituents, clearing up any confusion," he added.

However, angry constituents took to social media to criticise the move.

Natalie Rogers said: “Teachers are managing to protect pupil data whilst working from home and going into schools when required.“They aren't getting an expense for the extra electricity or heating or whatever else they want to disguise that under!”

Tim Wilkinson said: “If MPs are concerned then they should use some of the other £26,000 they have allocated for office expense to buy their staff kit! It is completely ridiculous!”

Tom Riley said: “To say this is anything other than a cash grab is a joke.”

Alex Shaw said: “They need a laptop, and what else? Are you telling me none of the MP's staff have equipment to work remotely? Utter rubbish.”

The extra funds will be available until March 2021 and come with a relaxation of the rules on evidence of purchases.

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