Shopping receipts put Woolas in clear

PHIL WOOLAS

THE Chronicle can today confirm that Phil Woolas DID NOT claim for women’s clothing on parliamentary expenses — after seeing receipts a national newspaper failed to spot.

The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP was accused of claiming items, including nail varnish and bibs, as part of a larger supermarket receipt submitted to the Commons fees office. The bill for the five receipts totalled £210.31 which included the “controversial” items.

But there were in fact six receipts submitted totalling £245.98 — meaning he did not receive taxpayers’ money for the items.

Last night the Chronicle checked every receipt submitted by the Labour MP and can vouch that national reports have missed off some receipts on more than one occasion.

Mr Woolas, who has sought legal advice to clear his name, said: “MPs are allowed a second-home allowance so ordinary people not just rich people can become MPs. But the abuse I have read about has shocked me to the core.

“My own records show I have never claimed for furniture and the like and have submitted valid receipts. The information will now be up on my website for people to see for themselves.

“I appreciate that this is a lot of money but I have to keep two homes for my job.

“I was a junior minister to Robin Cook when he was leader of the House and I helped to introduce the Freedom of Information for MPs allowances.”

Over the four-year period Mr Woolas made regular claims for interest-only mortgage payments, council tax, bills and food.

Very few household items were purchased under the controversial additional cost allowance (ACA), which allows MPs are to claim up to £24,006 a year.

Some MPs have been left red-faced after revelations of MPs making claims to clean their swimming pools, a moat and bogus mortgages being paid off by the taxpayer.

Mr Woolas only claimed £63.74 for a replacement shower and £34.99 for a kettle.

Regular payments of £70 a month were made for cleaning and £48 a month for gardening and for odd jobs. All receipts for items claimed have been seen by the Chronicle despite MPs not previously having to submit them for claims under £250.

He said: “I no longer claim for the gardening and odd-jobs. Thankfully, now my eldest son is at an age where he can do these things and I give him pocket money to do it instead.”

Mr Woolas has also provided the Chronicle with details of all his expenses for 2008-9.

For full details of the expenses visit http://www.philwoolasmp.org