British MPs spent nearly £40,000 ($55,472) on high-tech Apple products with taxpayers’ money during Covid-19 lockdowns as part of an additional allowance to support working from home.
Analysis by the Daily Telegraph of Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority data showed 40 MPs bought laptops, iPads and wireless earphones.
In April 2020 as the UK was plunged into a nationwide lockdown, Ipsa announced MPs could claim an extra £10,000 for equipment, on top of the £26,000 available for office costs.
While there are no suggestions that any MPs broke the rules, the revelation comes at a particularly sensitive time when so many in the UK are affected by the economic downturn stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Angela Raynor, the deputy leader of the UK’s largest opposition party Labour, was one of the biggest spenders, claiming £1,619 for an iPad Pro, £249 for a pair of AirPods and £131 digital pencil.
“All expenses for the running of Angela’s parliamentary office were submitted in line with the rules,” her representative said.
Labour MP Fabian Hamilton, the shadow minister for peace and disarmament and the party’s former lead on the Middle East, was another big spender, claiming on an iPad Pro, iPhone and Macbook Pro.
