Commons speaker John Bercow under fire for £1,300 expenses claim to attend funeral

COMMONS Speaker John Bercow claimed almost £1,300 in expenses to attend the funeral of an MP in Manchester, it has been revealed.

Commons SpeakerJohn Bercow claimed almost £1,300 in expenses to attend a funeral [GETTY]

Mr Bercow billed the taxpayers for travel and hotel costs after travelling from London to the funeral of Labour backbencher Paul Goggins in January.

He paid £239.10 for a return train journey to Manchester for him and two staff, plus an additional £112.50 for a car from Parliament to Euston station and back the next day.

Once he got to the northern city, Mr Bercow, who has faced criticism over his huge expenses bills in the past, spent £500 to "travel around Manchester" by car.

An overnight stay for the Speaker and two of his staff at the Park Inn by Radisson hotel cost £364.28, making the total bill £1,290.

His expenses drew criticism from Dia Chakravarty, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, who said: "This seems like an extraordinary bill for an overnight stay."

John and Sally BercowJohn with his wife Sally Bercow [GETTY]

At first look, it seems extravagant to spend over £1,000 of taxpayers' money

Conservative MP Rob Wilson

Conservative MP Rob Wilson accepted that Mr Bercow was right to go the funeral to represent Parliament, but added: "At first look, it seems extravagant to spend over £1,000 of taxpayers' money."

Louise Bours, UK Independence Party MEP for the North West, was equally shocked by the size of the expenses bill.

She said: "We understand Mr Bercow was representing Parliament, however even in this case, spending £500 for a taxi ride around Manchester - what was it in, a Bugatti Veyron?"

A spokeswoman for Mr Bercow said: "The Speaker, representing the House of Commons, attended a church service the evening before Mr Goggins' funeral, as well as attending the funeral.

"This was a mark of respect to Paul Goggins and to his family.

The funeral was in Manchester, so travel costs from Westminster were incurred."

Mr Bercow, a former Tory MP, became Speaker in June 2009 after the resignation of Michael Martin following the expenses scandal.

Last year it was revealed he had claimed £100,000 in expenses traveling the world and Britain since 2010.

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