THE publication of MPs' expenses for the first time on Thursday put a few of our parliamentary representatives on the backfoot, having run up a total bill last year of £78m.
With a mileage rate of 57.7p and unlimited first-class rail travel between constituencies and Westminster, travel accounted for a substantial chunk of the claims.
But Mike Foster has hit upon an idea to save taxpayers' money in future - shift the centre of power up the M40, where it is more closer to more MPs.
"If Parliament insists on being based in London and not in the West Midlands then there are naturally going to be large costs associated with MPs' travel down to the South East," he reckoned.
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