Glasgow Central MP Mohammad Sarwar has come under fire for refusing to answer questions regarding his expenses.

The Labour MP’s SNP opponent Osama Saeed sent him a list of sixteen questions arising from his redacted receipts, which Mr Sarwar flatly refused to enter into.

Among the matters queried was a bill claimed for ‘A Sarwar’ with the possibility arising that this was his son Anas who is standing in his place as Labour’s candidate at this year’s general election.

Mr Sarwar’s expenses also included a host of receipts for thousands of pounds at a time with all the details such as payee and what the invoice was for blacked out.

The MP has also refused to comment on the appropriateness of claiming for a mortgage in London at £2,000 a month for his second home, much greater than the average person’s bill for their own homes.

Multi-millionaire cash and carry magnate Sarwar is the UK’s fifth most expensive MP, but amongst the worst performing in Parliamentary performance. He came under fire when the expenses crisis first broke last spring for being slow in publishing his expenses online, only doing so after calls from the SNP’s Osama Saeed.

Saeed commented: "I’m astonished by the brazenness of Mr Sarwar’s response. I knew he wouldn’t like these questions being put to him, but I did not expect him to dismiss them out of hand in the manner he has. It is indicative of the impunity in which Scottish Labour MPs have operated for too long, and how they have taken the electorate for granted.

"Mr Sarwar is though clearly out of touch with the anger in the public on the issue of MP’s expenses, and I ask him to reconsider his response. If these questions are not answered, it will be an issue that is taken into the forthcoming election campaign."

Notes:

1.       Copies of letters

1. Saeed’s initial letter with 16 questions – 14 Dec 2009
2. Sarwar’s response – 16 Dec 2009
3. Saeed’s follow up letter – 15 Jan 2010

2.       Sarwar has spoken in 7 debates in the last year — well below average amongst MPs. Has voted in 57% of votes in parliament— well below average amongst MPs. (From Public Whip). He sits seventh bottom amongst Scottish MPs in Parliamentary activity.

3.       Osama Saeed has made his own pledges on expenses. These are to:

• Place all my expense receipts for viewing online
• Claim only for expenses genuinely incurred, not just because "I’m entitled to them"
• Incur expenses at the best possible value
• Push for MPs not to set their own salaries