Diane Abbott claimed for her iPhone on expenses

New details are available on the parliamentary website.

By James Macintyre Published 24 June 2010 13:21

Fresh details of MPs' expenses are now available on the parliamentary website. I'll be taking a look at them later today, but in the meantime one little bit that stood out after a very quick skim was that Diane Abbott, heroine of the left, claimed for her iPhone. You can see the details here.

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14 comments

Sat, 2010-06-26 12:39 — Nick (not verified)

I tell you Ray, on the issue of a 'tightening of belts', go and have a look at John Redwood's site and see how much his aggregated income is in a month. It's high time that as wel as expenses, they clamped down on how much they rake in from 'outside interests'. How that man has the raw nerve to condescendingly say to others about living frugally I do not know. MP's are salaried and rewarded to a job of prime importance to the running of this Country; they shouldn't be allowed to draw secondary incomes, I can't see how they have the time myself! They are surely paid all of their parliamentary expenses on the basis of working full time for parliament, how can it be fair that they get away with this?

Sat, 2010-06-26 12:58 — Nick (not verified)

On Redwood's site, you can see how he declares a monthly sum of £3950.27 from Haldex for an average of 8 hours work, £537 per month from lecturing fees, £22,877 from Evercore (a nice quarterly sum), up to £5,000 from the Daily Telegraph. These being in addition to other payments and of course on TOP of his MP salary and expenses and whatever else this hard up man may bring in (which includes a nice bottle of brandy I see!).

My word he's bound to be bundling lots of 9p per can of baked bean tins into his trolley eh! Should we not all send him a jumper so the poor thing can get though the winter without contracting hypothermia?

Thu, 2010-06-24 21:51 — clem the gem (not verified)

So no-one else claimed for any phone bills, computers, postage, or any other type of communication? At all?
Come off it! This is just tittle-tattle aimed at discrediting Abbott, so that James' great hope, David gets to play Leader that bit more easily.
If there is real scandal, then carry on printing it, but this is a waste of space.

Thu, 2010-06-24 22:04 — swatantra nandanwar

Whats wrong with a basic budget pay as you go deal, that we have to put up with. Does the job.

Fri, 2010-06-25 12:02 — ROBERT TAGGART (not verified)

Shock / Horror ? Nope... this be exactly what one would expect from any lefty... hypocrisy !
Liebour voters may be fooled by the rhetoric of their chosen ones... this just serves to reflect badly on the quality of their education.

Fri, 2010-06-25 12:09 — Lou (not verified)

Did you see Diane's grilling on This Week last night? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5uMbMJ2EUQ
She was really uncomfortable when Andrew Neil pressed her relentlessly on her comments about West Indian mothers and their children. She refused to answer time and time again and I think she may have done herself no favours at all.

Fri, 2010-06-25 13:53 — Silver Shred (not verified)

What's the big deal? Some people have an iPhone, some have a BlackBerry, some have a Nokia N900.

This is a pathetic story.

Sun, 2010-06-27 18:22 — raymond392

Hi Nick, I read this week about another Tory MP who tried to kill himself for a number of reasons, certainly one cited was following his expenses claims.
I dont expect you to remember them all as there have been so many he claimed for a £1,647 for a sofa,£2,175 for a 46" Sony HD TV, £6,765 on an expensive up market BED,AND BEDSIDE CABINETS,and a toilet brush. He decided that when challenged on an anti sleezy ticket by Terry Waite he gave up his three consultancies worth £80,000 to concentrate on his constituancy work.
He should have been DOING THAT ANYWAY THAT'S HIS JOB.
I totally agree with you he get's well paid for being an MP salary, expenses, second home allowance, postage, first class travel etc,etc that is what he should concentrate on where does he find the time to do all this other work if he is supposed to be a full time MP how many times have you heard them bleating about the long and unsocial hours they have to work just to be an MP.
When I worked for the NHS fairly poor paid at the time I wanted to do agency work to supplement my income, I was refused and referred to my contract which stated that my days and holiday's where considered rest days FROM MY FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT and I could not work elsewhere without my employers permission which was REFUSED. So how can these hard working MP's find the time to take directorship's and consultancies and anything else that interfers with their actul job.

Fri, 2010-06-25 18:38 — swatantra nandanwar

The truth is that she may well have grown into the stereotypical black mom without realising it. It happens.

Fri, 2010-06-25 20:16 — Nick (not verified)

How come no one has got the calculator out to do a quick check on just how many Iphones David Laws could have brought for the $40,000 he blatantly diddled the country out of?....with the 'honorable' approval of Cameron and Clegg?

Thu, 2010-06-24 15:15 — Terrible But True (not verified)

Maybe Apple can create an app for that too?

Must be a pain filling out all those forms.

Thu, 2010-06-24 17:45 — jeremiah

Great! Iphones for all. She is a socialist after all. I think...

Sat, 2010-06-26 01:22 — raymond392

I watched Diane on This Week, the gloves where off when Andrew Neil pressed her on her expenses about taxi fares from the HOC to her home she was all over the place to come up with an answer lots of times looking at the ceiling for inspiration, AN said to her why dont you just pay for the taxi's out of your own pocket just like everyone else who works late, still waiting on a coherent answer, I dont feel one way about DA but I object to free for all with the taxpayers money. Her son's school was a non issue for her would not answer the question, she looked daggers at AN not sure she will be back on the couch so soon unless she is well paid for it no doubt. If you where a politician would you not have the latest in everything ? I would if I knew someone else was paying for it i.e. the taxpayer. Of course it is small considering Laws, Danny Alexander is a cracker just under 25,000 on expenses in the last 6 months on his second home, was it the one that he flipped just before selling it avoiding £60,000 capital gains tax. His 25,000 was mortage interest payment's, council tax, gas, electric, repairs also he claimed the full amount for subsistance of 400.00 per month, yes we are all tighting our belts he is letting his out, he even charged £.2.50 for the hire of a community hall to hold his surgery yes £2.50 on expenses. What a shower along with his philandering pal David Hume.