Race to the Bottom
The hilarious result was a 'race to the bottom' in which MPs tried to outdo each other in how little they spent on personal grooming.
But the winner by a country mile was Eric Pickles, the Conservative MP and Government Minister, politician who could take a joke and laugh at himself.
Eric's response to the haircut survey is that he cut what little hair he has left with clippers, so he didn't part with any of his hard earned cash on a visit to a hair salon.
Cutting it: Who paid what in Westminster
1. David Cameron pays £90 a haircut – but also rewarded his barber with an MBE.
2. Nick Clegg has his hair cut by Christian at Jam Hairdressing, Sheffield. It costs £20.
3. Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, (Conservative MP for Brentwood and Ongar), “Trims what is left of it himself with clippers,” according to a spokeswoman.
4. Andrew Lansley, Leader of the House of Commons, goes to Cambridge barber’s Mr Polito’s, where it costs £15.
5. Chris Bryant (Labour MP for Rhondda) says he spends £13 having his haircut.
6. Stephen Timms, Labour MP for East Ham, says: John Simon Hair Salon, House of Commons, £20.
7. Jamie Reed (Labour MP for Copeland) says: “I’m not sure anyone would want to own up to cutting my hair, but most recently it has been Judith Vickers, Strand Street, Whitehaven. She’s great and not to blame for how it looks most of the time. It’s a tenner but I tip on top of that.”
8. Andrew Rosindell (Conservative, Romford) goes to Lou the Barber in Rise Park, Romford, £9. “I have been going there since I was a young boy and never go anywhere else.”
9. Steve Rotheram (Labour, Liverpool Walton) says he spends £8 at the barbers at the end of the road – “although there is quite a lot to cut!”
10. Mark Spencer (Conservative, Sherwood) goes to Jo’s Barbers in Arnold, Notts. He told us that he “went today with my son! Tried to get discount for two cuts but no go.”
11. Bob Blackman (Conservative, Harrow East) uses a barber’s shop in Golders’ Green that has cut his hair since he left University in 1979. “He charges me £10 for a wash, cut and blow dry.”
12. Sir Peter Bottomley (Conservative, Worthing West) regularly pays “£9 in High Salvington with a tip on top”.
13. John Bercow, Speaker: has his hair cut in the Commons, at John Simon. It costs £20.
14. Steve Baker (Conservative, Wycombe) refuses to disclose his hair care habits.
15. Gavin Shuker (Labour , Luton South) uses Tulio’s in Luton for £9.50, “though I’m growing it out at the minute.”
16. Alistair Burt (Conservative, North East Bedfordshire) told us by email: “Thank you for your enquiry – and ‘Are you having a laugh!?’ Please see attached [picture].”
17. Alistair Carmichael (Lib Dem, Orkney and Shetland) had his last haircut at The Barbershop, Mounthooly Lane, Kirkwall. It cost £10.
18. John Pugh (Lib Dem, Southport) says he gets his hair cut locally, paying £9.
19. Michael Thornton (Lib Dem, Eastleight) pays £7.50 at his local barbers in Bishopstoke, The Clip Joint. “I have been going there for nearly 20 years.”
20. Mark Tami (Labour, Alyn and Deeside) pays £12 at 4Fellas on Strutton ground near Victoria
21. Nick Smith (Labour, Blaenau Gwent) uses Headley’s in Commercial Street, Tredegar, for just £6.
1. David Cameron pays £90 a haircut – but also rewarded his barber with an MBE.
2. Nick Clegg has his hair cut by Christian at Jam Hairdressing, Sheffield. It costs £20.
3. Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, (Conservative MP for Brentwood and Ongar), “Trims what is left of it himself with clippers,” according to a spokeswoman.
4. Andrew Lansley, Leader of the House of Commons, goes to Cambridge barber’s Mr Polito’s, where it costs £15.
5. Chris Bryant (Labour MP for Rhondda) says he spends £13 having his haircut.
6. Stephen Timms, Labour MP for East Ham, says: John Simon Hair Salon, House of Commons, £20.
7. Jamie Reed (Labour MP for Copeland) says: “I’m not sure anyone would want to own up to cutting my hair, but most recently it has been Judith Vickers, Strand Street, Whitehaven. She’s great and not to blame for how it looks most of the time. It’s a tenner but I tip on top of that.”
8. Andrew Rosindell (Conservative, Romford) goes to Lou the Barber in Rise Park, Romford, £9. “I have been going there since I was a young boy and never go anywhere else.”
9. Steve Rotheram (Labour, Liverpool Walton) says he spends £8 at the barbers at the end of the road – “although there is quite a lot to cut!”
10. Mark Spencer (Conservative, Sherwood) goes to Jo’s Barbers in Arnold, Notts. He told us that he “went today with my son! Tried to get discount for two cuts but no go.”
11. Bob Blackman (Conservative, Harrow East) uses a barber’s shop in Golders’ Green that has cut his hair since he left University in 1979. “He charges me £10 for a wash, cut and blow dry.”
12. Sir Peter Bottomley (Conservative, Worthing West) regularly pays “£9 in High Salvington with a tip on top”.
13. John Bercow, Speaker: has his hair cut in the Commons, at John Simon. It costs £20.
14. Steve Baker (Conservative, Wycombe) refuses to disclose his hair care habits.
15. Gavin Shuker (Labour , Luton South) uses Tulio’s in Luton for £9.50, “though I’m growing it out at the minute.”
16. Alistair Burt (Conservative, North East Bedfordshire) told us by email: “Thank you for your enquiry – and ‘Are you having a laugh!?’ Please see attached [picture].”
17. Alistair Carmichael (Lib Dem, Orkney and Shetland) had his last haircut at The Barbershop, Mounthooly Lane, Kirkwall. It cost £10.
18. John Pugh (Lib Dem, Southport) says he gets his hair cut locally, paying £9.
19. Michael Thornton (Lib Dem, Eastleight) pays £7.50 at his local barbers in Bishopstoke, The Clip Joint. “I have been going there for nearly 20 years.”
20. Mark Tami (Labour, Alyn and Deeside) pays £12 at 4Fellas on Strutton ground near Victoria
21. Nick Smith (Labour, Blaenau Gwent) uses Headley’s in Commercial Street, Tredegar, for just £6.
22. Jim Sheridan (Labour, Paisley and Renfrewshire) pays a mere £5 at his local barber. “It is important that you can trust your barber as he has some dangerous tools around him/her.”
23. Andrew Slaughter (Labour, Hammersmith) pays £12 at X-Perts on Fulham Palace Road. “The barber I normally have is a young Palestinian. They are very good.”
24. Jonathan Reynolds (Labour Co-operative, Stalybridge and Hyde) pays £5 at Hair Sanctuary in Stalybridge; or, if in Westminster, £15 to the barber in Parliament.
25. David Blunkett (Labour, Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough) uses Scotts on the Wicker in Sheffield – beard and trim £10 and Central Cuts, Victoria Street London – beard and trim £20.
26. Andrew Percy (Conservative, Brigg and Goole): pays £10 at the barbers opposite his office in Goole.
27. Laurence Robertson (Conservative, Tewkesbury) The Barber’s Shop in Tewkesbury, £7.50. “That’s probably because there isn’t much to cut in my case.”
28. Stuart Andrew MP: Thank you for your recent email to Stuart regarding haircuts. He has asked me to let you know that he gets his cut at Sean’s in Yeadon, Leeds, for a grand total of £8.50.
29. John Thurso “My Hair is cut in Thurso and they have just put the price up to £5.50!”
30. Conor Burns: I have my hair cut at a barber’s in Bournemouth called Boss Barbers by a former Cherries football player called James Rowe. I pay £10-12 a time.
