Emily Thornberry Forced to Pay £4250 for Breaking Rules

4.53.13pm GMT Wed 16th Jan 2008

Labour MP Emily Thornberry sent out thousands of unsolicited letters at public expense

Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South and Finsbury, was criticised this week for using taxpayers' money to send out unsolicited letters to residents. She is being forced to pay back the money she illegitimately spent during 2007 by the Serjeant-at-Arms.

After receiving unsolicited letters and leaflets from their MP during last year's abortive election campaign, residents noticed that they were sent on Parliamentary stationery using pre-paid envelopes. Feeling that their tax money was not best spent helping MPs with their political campaigning, complaints were made to the Serjeant-at-Arms in Parliament.

In a letter from Sir Philip Mawer, the Standards Commissioner, received this week, residents were satisfied to discover that their complaint was upheld and Emily Thornberry will be forced to pay back the money.

Standards Commissioner Sir Philip writes:

"It is clear to me that Ms Thornberry should not have used pre-paid envelopes at all for this exercise (since her letter was unsolicited) but should have covered the cost of the stationery and envelopes and the postage required directly, either from her Communications Allowance or out of her own pocket."

He continues, "She has indicated that she will reimburse the cost of the pre-paid envelopes she used and I have asked her to do this." He states that he has made the necessary arrangements with the Assistant Serjeant-at-Arms to force her to pay back the money.

The Commissioner also revealed that the MP sent out at least 10,400 such letters with first-class postage, indicating that she will be forced to pay back £4245.28* as a result of this decision.

This follows another recent run-in with the Standards Commissioner, who last October criticised her for making the "unwise and unfortunate" decision to doctor a press release from the Electoral Commission.

On hearing about Emily Thornberry's latest problems, Liberal Democrat councillor and Canonbury resident Paula Belford commented:

"We need an MP who is working for Islington, not working the system for their own benefit. To clash with the Commissioner for Standards so many times in just a few months really doesn't make a good advert for Islington."

Parliamentary Campaigner Bridget Fox added, "This is yet another example of poor judgement - at best - from Emily Thornberry. Islington deserves better."