Labour MP repays £17 wreath claim

The Rotherham MP has admitted the claim on Remembrance Day last year should “never have been made”.

It was paid by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) despite reimbursement for such items being banned under the rules.

The details emerged in the latest run of MPs’ expenses released by the watchdog last week.

Miss Champion, who was elected in 2012 and recently featured in the BBC’s Inside the Commons documentary, told a national newspaper: “The claim should never have been made so I’ll reimburse Ipsa on Monday.”

TaxPayers’ Alliance chief executive Jonathan Isaby said: “Taxpayers will be pleased that the money is to be repaid, as it clearly should be.

“The real question is why Ipsa approved the payment in the first place.”