MPs cost taxpayers £127million in one YEAR

TAXPAYERS forked out £127.6 million to fund MPs' salaries and expenses in the 2019-20 financial year, with the SNP accounting for almost half of the most expensive politicians.

The eye-watering figures is a 6.5 percent rise on the cost of MPs the previous year. The new information comes following the release of data from the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA).

The average MP cost taxpayers £157,747, almost double the amount of their basic £81,932 a year salary.

The newly released figures accounted for salaries and expenses in the 2019-20 financial year.

Out of the 10 most expensive MPs, four of them belonged to the SNP.

The Party's Lisa Cameron was the Commons's most expensive sitting MP bar Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, costing £256,040.

The Speaker's expenses are usually higher as he incurred extra responsibilities as part of his role.

The SNP's Westminster leader, Ian Blackford, along with Chris Law and Brendan O'Hara also made the top ten.

Cost of travel means Scottish MP often have higher expenses, however, no Conservative or Labour representatives from north of the border were in the top 10 of the list.

SNP politicians cost more than Prime Minister Boris Johnson (£174,454) or now Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer (£164,545).

More broadly, in total £5,584,790 were claimed for in expenses for travel and subsistence by MPs over the course of the year.

On average the costs equated to £6,903 for each Member of Parliament.

A further £718,733 in total was spent on hotel claims.

Around 98 MPs chose to stay in hotels while staying in the capital.