North West MEP claims £40,000 of tax payers money for

One of Britain’s least active MEPs has been receiving more than £40,000 a year for office expenses despite having no office in his constituency. 

David Sumberg, a Conservative MEP for the North West of England, has already declared he pays £54,000 a year for secretarial support from his wife.

Since the current European parliament was elected in 2004, Sumberg has made just two set-piece speeches and 12 one-minute “explanations of votes”. He has tabled five questions and sits on a committee but has not written any of its reports or tabled any resolutions.

“If there was a competition for laziest MEP in Britain I don’t doubt he would make the shortlist,” said Chris Davies, a Liberal Democrat MEP who also represents the North West.

Sumberg, 67, who is standing down at elections next year, is entitled to a staff allowance, of £171,000 a year, from which his wife Carolyn is paid. He is also entitled to a £40,800 general expenditure allowance for office costs and travel, and £242 a day for hotels and food on top of his £61,820 salary.

Until last Friday, his website gave a wrong constituency office number. 

A woman who answered suggested calling North West Conservative Campaigns Centre, where an official said: “We don’t see him that often.”

Sumberg said: “The North West office acts as a forwarding address. In common with many other MEPs, I have office facilities in my house.”

Sumberg declined to say if any of the £40,800 was used for his home in Kentish Town, North London, 200 miles from the region he represents. If it was, this would break no rules. He added: “There is no requirement for an MEP to maintain an office in the constituency.”

Parliamentary rules say the £40,800 is for use in an MEP’s home country for “office management and running costs”.

Sumberg’s decision not to maintain an office in the North West was described as an “insult” to voters by Davies, who added: “David Sumberg represents a region of 7m people, bigger than 10 member states of the European Union. 

“Most people would expect an MEP in receipt of such generous expenses would maintain an office in a region of this importance.”

Sumberg last week declined to say if he had received the full staff allowance, out of which Carolyn was paid. He said she was “a fully qualified secretary, who holds a master’s degree in applied translation studies”. On his workload, he said: “It is not for me to comment on my effectiveness as an MEP.”