Former West Midlands MPs offered £1m in golden goodbyes

Former West Midlands MPs have been offered a total of almost £1 million in “golden goodbyes” to help them adjust to life outside Westminster.

The cash is on offer to any MP who left the Commons after last month’s general election, whether they fought their seat and lost or simply decided to quit.

They include three Birmingham MPs who all chose to stand down.

High-profile former Ladywood MP Clare Short is entitled to a pay-off equal to an MP’s annual salary of £64,766.

Former Selly Oak MP Lynne Jones is also entitled to £64,766, while former Erdington MP and Minister Sion Simon has been offered £32,383.

The amount is based on how long they served as an MP. And it comes on top of a generous pension package, which gives MPs up to two-thirds their former salary for life, upgraded in line with inflation every year.

MPs entitled to large sums include some who were at the centre of the expenses scandal that rocked Parliament.

Julie Kirkbride, who quit as MP for Bromgrove after it emerged she and her MP husband had both claimed for second homes, has been offered £32,383.

And Jacqui Smith, former MP for Redditch, who claimed for pornographic films watched by her husband, is entitled to £32,383.

Former MPs have been sent details of the scheme, and it is up to them whether to accept the cash or not.

But House of Commons officials said they would not release details of who had taken the money and who had declined.

An official said the cash “may be claimed to help former MPs with the costs of adjusting to non-parliamentary life”.

But pressure group The Taxpayers’ Alliance demanded changes to scrap the payments. Spokesman John O’Connell said: “This vast sum of money will be frustrating for taxpayers, particularly after the expenses scandal.

“MPs should be aware that they are entering a contract with a fixed term - if they’re voted out it’s the end of the contract, not a redundancy.

“Besides, most of the MPs receiving this payment stood down voluntarily.”

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, a new watchdog created following the expenses scandal, is to review the payment system, but this will not affect MPs who have already left the Commons.

Prime Minister David Cameron’s official spokesman said: “Clearly, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority will be looking at the whole regime and making recommendations for the future.”

In its evidence to Ipsa’s review of MPs’ expenses, the SSRB said that resettlement grants were “not strictly necessary, even though we believe there is a case for them in some circumstances”.

*Offers to the former MPs:

Sir Patrick Cormack South Staffordshire £32,383.00

Janet Dean Burton £54,403.44

Mark Fisher Stoke Central £59,584.72

Mike Foster Worcester £32,383.00

Brice George Walsall South £49,222.16

Syliva Heal Halesowen and Rowley Regis £43,393.22

Brian Jenkins Tamworth £46,631.52

Lynne Jones Selly Oak £64,766.00

David Kidney Stafford £54,403.44

Julie Kirkbride Bromsgrove £32,383.00

John Maples Stratford £43,393.22