Top of the Flops

The Guardian published a very interesting 'league table for MPs - during the week highlighting the percentage number of days - when MPs missed official votes in the House of Commons.

In other words - days on which they would normally be expected to attend and vote - unless they had some other extremely urgent busienss which would have to be cleared with the party 'whips'.

So here are some of the worst offenders - from a survey taken by the newspaper in January to February 2011.

Roger Godsiff - Labour - Birmingham Hall Green - 88.5%

Alan Keen - Labour - Feltham and Heston - 78.8%

David Cameron - Conservative - Witney 75%

Fabian Hamilton - Labour - Leeds North East - 73.1%

Ian Paisley Jnr - DUP - Antrim North - 73.1%

Margaret Ritchie - SDLP - Down South - 73.1%

Sammy Wilson - DUP - Antrim East - 73.1%

Gregory Campbell - DUP - Londonderry East - 71.2%

Nick Clegg LD Sheffield Hallam 71.2%

Gordon Brown - Labour - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath - 67.3%

Bill Esterson - Labour - Sefton Central - 65.4%

Ed Miliband - Labour - Doncaster North - 65.4%

Stuart Bell - Labour - Middlesbrough - 65.4%

Alan Johnson - Labour - Hull West and Hessle - 63.5%

George Osborne - Conservative - Tatton - 61.5%

John Robertson - Labour - Glasgow North West - 61.5%

Dave Watts - Labour - St Helens North - 59.6%

Marsha Singh - Labour - Bradford West - 59.6%

Michael Meacher - Labour - Oldham West and Royton - 59.6%

Now one or two of MPs might have been going thorugh a period of ill-health - and those who are government ministers and leader of the opposition - have other duties to attend which would explain their absence.

But just look at all these Labour MPs - including former PM and sometime member for Fife -  Gordon Brown.

So well done to the Guardian newspaper for shining a light on what's really going in the House of Commons - which some of our MPs seem to be treating as a glorified holiday camp. 

Who else gets to swan about in this way - turning up when, where and for however long they want - and all at public expense? 

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