Possible bad news for our MP Hugo Swire, and maybe even worse news for his wife to whom he pays around £35,000 a year for services linked to his office:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmsecret/sponsor-05.htm

She is not designated as his secretary (Suzanne Townsend) nor as his assistant (Toby Young).

Apparently, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority was “taken aback” by the number of MPs elected last May who immediately put their spouses on their payrolls and they are braced for a furious response from said MPs.

18 MPs have employed “connected parties” in their offices, in a practice that was expected to “wither on the vine” after it was widely disparaged by all parties prior to the election.  Eight Conservatives, three Labour and seven Scottish Nationalists appear immune to the advice, including Mr Swire it would seem.

It also appears that MPs who receive extra money for putting up their children in their second homes occasionally enjoy “widespread agreement” that this is a “necessary” extra expense.  MP Simon Danczuk was recently ordered to repay £11, 583.20 after an investigation concluded that two of his children had not stayed often enough to merit his claims.

Question: has anyone seen Mrs S with Mr S recently in the constituency, or even at all?  Owl recalls no sightings of her during the last election campaign, though Mr Swire did bring his very personable dog to the constituency in the final few weeks.

As they do not live in the constituency, preferring Mid-Devon, alas it seems we are unlikely to see her in Sidmouth Waitrose any time soon.