Cameron in SF expenses threat
The Conservative leader David Cameron has suggested his party would outlaw expenses for Sinn Fein MPs if they refused to attend Westminster.
He said it would be inconceivable that a Conservative majority would vote for taxpayer’s money to continue funding absentee MPs.
Sinn Fein MPs do not take a salary but are entitled to allowances.
A Sinn Fein spokesman said: “David Cameron would be better off dealing with the stinking corruption within his own party than attempting to undermine the democratic rights of people in this part of Ireland.”
In the last financial year, Sinn Fein’s five MPs Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness, Pat Doherty, Michelle Gildernew, and Conor Murphy each claimed £21,000 in Additional Cost Allowances – just short of the maximum.
Since the figures were first published in 2001/02, the Sinn Fein MPs, who do not take their seats at Westminster as that would involve swearing allegiance to the Queen, have received a total of £437,405 in the taxpayer-funded allowance.
In his article, Mr Cameron also pointed out he had already banned some of the worst practices, not least MPs flipping their second home with their main home to avoid capital gains tax.
He also pledged to ban double jobbing.
In his own statement the DUP leader Peter Robinson, who is an MP as well as first minister and MLA, said he too was determined to end double jobbing.
He has already outlined some details of this policy and promised to provide further information in a speech on Thursday evening.
Mr Cameron will be in Northern Ireland later.
He will meet the Ulster Unionist leader Sir Reg Empey and join the campaign for the European election in Portadown and Ballymena.
His party and the Ulster Unionists are fighting the poll on a joint ticket.
But the decision of the Ulster Unionists’ sole MP Lady Hermon to go public on her refusal to stand under a Tory banner has caused division.
