The MPs getting mileage out of expenses

Happy spring statement day! The annual event seems to come faster every year, replete with all those funny old traditions associated with this hallowed day. There’s the time-honoured Chancellor photoshoot, in which the incumbent minister has to strike a pose which suggests both responsible fiscal probity and compassionate one-nation benevolence. There’s the Sunday media round ritual, in which stony-faced ministers refuse to say anything of interest on the grounds of market sensitivity. And then of course there are the classic pre-statement media briefings, with much froth, speculation and excitable newspaper headlines about what the Chancellor is set to announce. 

This year, attention has focused on fuel duty amid the ongoing cost of living crisis. According to the denizens of the lobby, Rishi Sunak is set to announce a cut of 5p, in response to soaring pump prices. Such a move might not cure the country’s ails overnight but will no doubt be popular with petrol-heads in Westminster. For Mr S has been doing some number crunching and it seems there will be quite a few on the green benches who’d welcome a cut in fuel duty. Expense claims by IPSA – the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority – show which MPs claimed the most in mileage in 2020-21, a year of course when travel was significantly curtailed due to Covid. More recent figures are not yet available thanks to IPSA’s six-month long backlog.

Judging by the data, it looks like a duty cut would do wonders for Rishi’s popularity with his fellow Conservative MPs. For, of the 266 MPs who claimed more than £104,000 in mileage, it transpires that three Tories came top, with Richard Holden, Sir Christopher Chope and Scott Mann take first, second and third. All three sit for constituencies far away from London. The trio will presumably be cheering on any cut in fuel duty, given they claimed for nearly 13,000 miles worth £5,700 between them. Ironically Rob Halfon – a keen Tory supporter of the Sun’s ‘Keep it down’ campaign – was one of the lowest claimers for mileage, with just £7.60 billed for 17 miles travelled, the 262nd highest of the 266 who claimed.

Will a duty cut merely fuel Rishi’s critics? Or will it have him in the driving seat for No. 10 once again? Steerpike looks forward to finding out at lunchtime today.