Stuart Bell: What has he been doing?
Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:14 am
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... years.htmlWhat has he been doing? The Labour MP who hasn't held a surgery for 14 years
By Jason Groves
Last updated at 12:18 AM on 8th September 2011
Under pressure: Sir Stuart Bell may have to explain to senior Labour figures why he has not held a constituency surgery since 1997
A senior Labour MP was under fire last night after admitting he has not held a surgery for constituents for 14 years.
Sir Stuart Bell, veteran MP for Middlesbrough, was under pressure from the Labour hierarchy to explain himself following claims that constituents cannot contact him.
Most MPs hold local surgeries several times a month for constituents to discuss their problems.
Sir Stuart, 73, admits he has not held one since 1997 and unlike most MPs he also has no office in his constituency.
Sir Stuart, whose wife Margaret is paid £35,000 a year as his office manager, claims he is willing to meet constituents ‘by appointment’ if they contact his Westminster office.
But his local newspaper, the Middlesbrough Gazette, reported this week that it had called his office more than 100 times this summer without reply.
A Labour party spokesman said last night: ‘Ed Miliband and the Labour Party expect the highest standards from Labour representatives. It is totally unacceptable if the public cannot reach their MP.
‘A number of allegations have been raised and these will be discussed with Sir Stuart.’
Sir Stuart, who was answering calls last night, said he had discussed the situation with Labour’s chief whip Rosie Winterton and would be writing to Mr Miliband to explain his circumstances.
Family affair: Sir Stuart pays his wife Margaret £35,000 a year to work as his office manager
Sir Stuart has previously said he stopped holding surgeries after being physically threatened by a voter.
Yesterday he said his office had ‘no record’ of calls made by the local paper, and that not having an office in the town saved the taxpayer money.
He also insisted he was available to discuss his constituents’ problems.
He said: ‘It would be quite wrong for an MP not to be available to his constituents but that is not the case here. I do meet constituents by appointment.’