December 28, 2024

Funding Speaker’s robe is a tall order, order

Bercow #Bercow

Most MPs breathed a sigh of relief when Lindsay Hoyle replaced John Bercow as Speaker. The 63-year-old Lancastrian is everything his predecessor was not: where Bercow was squat and verbose, Hoyle is tall and plain-speaking.

But there is a cost. Hoyle has invoiced the taxpayer £1,740 for a black and golden robe that fits, according to data obtained by Atticus. The Commons has charged £4,766 for ceremonial clothes for the Speaker and his team this year, including gloves, breeches and customised collars. All this is rather fitting for Mr Hoyle, who ran a textile business before becoming an MP.

He has also spent £435,119 on his grace-and-favour parliamentary residence, upgrading the floors, giving the furniture a polish and removing old asbestos. He even spent £110

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