A Conservative MP from Bolton is claiming £27,000 each year on expenses to pay for accommodation in London - despite already owning a flat in the city.
Mark Logan has received £2,253 in taxpayer's money each month to pay for rent on a property in London since he first took his seat in the Bolton North East constituency in January 2020.
However, he has also disclosed owning a flat in the city which public records show is worth more than £100,000 and for which he receives more than £10,000 each year.
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Mr Logan also received more than £1,400 in expenses to pay for council tax over the same period.
When the M.E.N reached out to Mr Logan's team to ask for an explanation as to why he would need to rent a property in the capital when he already owns one, he was not available to comment.
The rules allow MPs to claim money to pay for accommodation in London so that they can keep a second home near Whitehall provided their constituency is not in the city.
But, Mr Logan's decision to claim expense money while also profiting from a separate property in the city has raised concerns among opposition leaders.
Nick Peel, Labour leader at Bolton Council and Councillor for Tonge with the Haulgh, said Mr Logan’s actions were ‘morally unjustifiable’.
“It’s completely unacceptable,” Mr Peel told the M.E.N.
“I thought we’d seen the end of these MP expenses scandals but it seems that they are continuing.
“Whether or not he’s technically breaking rules isn’t the issue really, the issue is whether it’s morally right for him to be claiming taxpayers money when he doesn’t need to.
“It just smacks of right greed and arrogance that someone can do this.”
The figures come from IPSA expenses, which show Mr Logan’s £2,253 rent claim each month, and his Register of Member’s Interests, which highlights he owns a flat with a value of more than £100,000 which gives a rental income of over £10,000 a year.
Specifics about Mr Logan’s IPSA expenses were released under The Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Mr Peel, who was first elected to Bolton Council in 2000, said he felt that taxpayers deserved answers from Mr Logan as to why money was being spent on a second property in London.
“Mr Logan owes it to his constituents of Bolton North East to tell them what exactly is going on here,” Mr Peel added.
“I’m one of his constituents, so I’d certainly like to know what he’s doing.
“MPs can claim expenses for accommodation because by the nature of the job they often have to but the system isn’t there for people to basically make a profit from, it’s to make sure they’re not out of pocket while doing their duties.
“It seems like Mark Logan could be making a tidy profit from taxpayers money here and that’s morally unjustifiable if it’s the case.”
