Gravy for MPs…
MPs have awarded themselves even cheaper posh meals.
A three-course meal at the Commons’ subsidised restaurant used to set members back £15. The average cost of serving each MP was £78.07.
Last year, the parliamentary expenses watchdog stopped MPs’ dinner allowance for when debates run late – also £15. Clearly it considered the subsidy excessive.
In response, MPs on the Commons Administration Committee have lowered the price for three courses to £11.50.
Smoked halibut with slow-poached duck egg. Gressingham duck with sweet potato fondant and crisoy kale. Salt-baked celeriac with pea velouté. All for less than the price of a medium ham and pineapple from Domino’s – if you’re an MP, of course.
…peanuts for us
No such luck for workers.
According to the Office for National Statistics, basic foodstuffs may have actually risen in price last year.
A new method of measuring food price changes found the cost of 500g of dry spaghetti had leapt up by nearly a fifth. And forget grating any cheddar on top – one kilo added 15% in price.
The agency measured the average cost increase for goods monitored in the trial system as 8%. That’s some way above official inflation figures, hovering around zero.
If MPs can vote on what their food costs, why shouldn’t the rest of us?