Ousted Tory MP blew £9k on iPads and computers just before losing his seat

Ex-Tory MP Ian Liddell-Grainger spent tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayer's currency connected computers successful the past Parliament - including £9,000 months earlier losing his seat

An ousted Tory MP blew £9,000 of taxpayers’ currency connected machine instrumentality conscionable months earlier losing his spot - a twelvemonth aft spending much than £9,000 connected akin kit.

Former Bridgewater MP Ian Liddell-Grainger bought 2 iPads, a desktop machine worthy £5,000 and a shredder worthy £600 connected expenses successful March 2024. In total, the hardware outgo taxpayers £8,980.89.

A further £300 was claimed for assistance successful retrieving information from a breached laptop.

In 2023, he’d spent £9,446 connected 2 iPads, 2 laptops, 2 desktop PCs a laser printer and a insubstantial folding machine.

And successful 2022, helium spent £5,506 connected assorted computers, laptops and iPad equipment.

Between 2019 and 2022, helium spent £21,432 connected unspecified items from a institution called Edward Martin Computer Solutions Ltd, bringing his full IT walk for the past Parliament to an eye-watering £45,364.

Departing MPs person 4 months to instrumentality oregon wage for immoderate instrumentality they purchased connected expenses - and immoderate returned oregon reimbursed items would person been published successful November’s figures, which were published this week.

A spokesperson for expenses watchdog IPSA said they had recovered “no denotation that erstwhile MP Ian Liddell-Grainger has chosen to clasp immoderate IT equipment”, but could not explicate wherefore nary returns had been declared.

Mr Liddell-Grainger’s spot was abolished successful the election. He contested the newly-created Tiverton and Minehead seat, but mislaid to Lib Dem Rachel Gilmour.