MP JAMES Duddridge claimed more than £8,000 of taxpayers’ money kitting out and decorating his second home, when he was first elected as an MP.

The items he bought included a radio at £79, just under £230 in one store for kitchen equipment and £21 for trouser hangers.

The claims come under the additional costs allowance – paid to reimburse members for necessary costs incurred when staying overnight away from the main home.

Mr Duddridge claimed and received £6,334 in the 2005/06 financial year, shortly after he was elected MP for Rochford and Southend East, and began using a property he already owned, and had rented out, as his second home.

In March 2006, Mr Duddridge claimed £6,619, but received £5,128 for painting and laminate flooring.

Then in June 2006, he spent £2,083 on refurbishing another flat. Unfortunately, as with many of the expense claims of all MPs the detail has been blanked out.

He explained the costs by saying: “Things are more expensive to get done in London, but I never used an interior designer and have never claimed for furniture.”

In September/October 2005, he claimed £229.30 for household items including tea towels, oven gloves, salt and pepper pots at £7.50 each, a roasting tin at £25 and a toilet brush at £14.

He also spent £740 on bedding including two pillowcases at £30 and other items including two duvets, pillows, towels and bed sheets.

In his first year as an MP, Mr Duddridge regularly claimed up to £400 a month for food with a total food bill of £4,600 from May 2005 to June 2006. However, he no longer claims for food.

He also has previously claimed for cleaning, from between £25 a month to up to £200.