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?
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?
