Becoming a Tory MP will cost you £41k

Published on 01/08/2006 11:12

PEOPLE hoping to become a Tory MP will need to have at least £41,000 to spare, a study suggested today.

The ConservativeHome website revealed the cost as it urged leader David Cameron to take action to allow more public and voluntary sector workers, homemakers and carers to become MPs.

Mr Cameron is facing calls to cut the fees charged for being a candidate, provide an emergency fund to bail out broke candidates and give them extra help.

The survey - based on the spending of 16 hopefuls, half of whom had made it to Westminster - found successful candidates faced a bill of 41,500 including lost earnings.

Losing candidates spent 27,235, including the cost of time off work, or 16,070 on direct spending - compared with 22,020 for winners.

Costs included the 250 fee for attending an all-day assessment to get on the list of candidates, 80 membership of the Candidates' Association and travelling the country in search of a seat.

The report concluded that the 250 fee should be cut, an "emergency access fund" set up to help candidates struggling financially and each candidate given a local "protector" to help organise their attendance at events and give activists an idea of the costs hopefuls faced.