£5,400 Woolas wind-up

MORE than £5,400 was spent winding up the office of the former MP Phil Woolas, official figures have shown.

The winding-up allowance is payable to defeated or retiring MPs and covers the “reimbursement of the cost of any work necessary, including staff and office costs, to conclude their parliamentary business”.

The information from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority shows £5,401.87 was paid to the former Oldham East and Saddleworth MP for paying bills in the constituency office he jointly shared with Oldham West and Royton MP Michael Meacher, home removal costs and postage.

In December a specially convened election court stripped Mr Woolas of his parliamentary seat after he was found guilty of lying about an opponent.