Sarah Teather MP Is Best Value Brent MP

2.55.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 26th Oct 2007

Brent's Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather has been declared the best value MP in Brent. Despite being the only MP to run a constituency office, in the last year Sarah has spent £40,000 less that each of Brent's Labour MPs on office, staffing and travel costs. Brent's Labour MPs Barry Gardiner and Dawn Butler came 3rd and 4th in the list of London's most expensive MPs; Sarah came 49th.

Sarah lives in her constituency in Willesden Green and has never claimed her second home allowance. She uses the tube to travel to Westminster and usually walks to her constituency office on the High Road in Willesden.

Local Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather said:

"One of the great thing about living in Brent is that the public transport links are so good. We have regular bus services which I can use to travel to events, and it's just 25 minutes to Westminster on the tube. This keeps my travel costs low.

"I work very hard to keep in regular contact with my constituents. My constituency office is open all week around, and a lot of people call in for help with their problems. However, it's important that MPs costs are open and transparent, so that people can see where money is being spent."

Notes:

A full list of the costs incurred by MPs offices can be found at: http://www.parliament.uk/documents/upload/HoCallowances0607.pdf