Bolton Conservative MP Mark Logan has defended renting out a flat he owns in London while claiming expenses for separate accommodation in the city.
As reported by the M.E.N., Mr Logan has received £2,253 of 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.
He has also disclosed owning a one-bed 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.
Mr Logan also received more than £1,400 in expenses to pay for council tax over the same period.
The MP's actions do not contravene the IPSA (Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority) regulations, but the Labour leader on Bolton council, Nick Peel, has been critical calling them 'morally unjustifiable'.
The MEN initially approached Mr Logan on the morning of Tuesday, February 22, and asked for an explanation for his expenses by 4pm the following day. However, despite extending that deadline to noon on Thursday, February 24, Mr Logan chose not to respond to questions until after a story outlining his expense claims had been published.
The married father-of-one, 38, said: "It is of paramount importance that members of the public are able to scrutinise all the costs of their elected representatives.
"At the end of the day it is taxpayers' money and there should be total transparency in how their money is spent.
"I have made a full declaration of any assets I own from the beginning of parliament including the registration of a one-bedroom, 35 square metre property in London.
"However, I did not live in the property in the couple of years before being elected as it is a very small one-bedroom flat with limited space for my family.
"On being elected I bought a home in the consistency. Living costs, including accommodation, are not permitted in my constituency home in Bolton North East and this is paid for by myself."
