A senior Tory on the London Assembly refused to publish his expenses today, declaring that his detailed claims were “none of the public's business”.
Brian Coleman said that only the “mad, bad and the sad” were interested in the “minutiae” of his taxi bills and other costs picked up by the taxpayer.
Mr Coleman's stance openly defies moves by Boris Johnson and the London Assembly to publish itemised expenses to shed light on the workings of City Hall. The Mayor, his advisers and 24 members of the Assembly have all voluntarily agreed to print their detailed claims ahead of moves to make the practice compulsory next week. Mr Coleman is the only politician not to have done so.
He said today that he had nothing to hide but felt that his expenses had already been fully audited and there was no need to publicise details.
“I won't do it voluntarily. It's none of the public's business. They have coped well without knowing this kind of detail for more that 75 years,” he said. “They are not entitled to drool over our personal lives. I'm not going to help the mad, bad and the sad, the bloggers on the internet. I'm not pandering to mob rule. It undermines democracy to suggest that all MPs, all politicians are the spawn of Beelzebub.
“Politicians with lower expenses tend to be the politicians who do least work. Those with higher expenses are the ones who do most work.”
The Standard has discovered from quarterly audit returns that Mr Coleman has racked up a £1,946 bill for taxis from April last year to May this year — the third highest of anyone in the authority.
Mr Coleman is also entitled to expenses in his capacity as chairman of London's fire authority. Last month, he came under attack for running up a £378 taxi (GLH Miniscab) bill for one event, most of which stemmed from keeping a cab waiting while he attended a banquet.
Sources close to the Mayor said: “Boris has made it clear from day one that transparency and openness are the heart of his administration.
“He is disappointed when any Assembly member doesn't appreciate that the public rightly expect to know what's being done by their elected representatives in their name and with their money.” Deputy Labour leader John Biggs said: “In the interests of transparency Mr Coleman should publish his claims. His secrecy must be an embarrassment for Boris.”
Labour also faced embarrassment as fully itemised receipts were published for the first time. Jennette Arnold, the Labour chairwoman of a City Hall committee scrutinising expenses, is herself repaying £187.19 public money spent on cabs for personal use.
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