Prezza: I barely cope on £300 a day

JOHN Prescott complained yesterday that his £300 a day House of Lords allowance barely covers his costs.

Labour’s former deputy prime minister said the money pays only for his secretary and hotel bills when he is in Parliament.

In a heated interview, the peer told Good Morning Britain: ‘I live in the North, I have to travel down to London. That’s half of it and I do have to live because I haven’t got the accommodation in London, right? So that’s where it goes. Do you want to put that into your analysis?’ But official figures show his train fares to and from London are covered by a separate allowance.

Parliamentary statistics show he was paid £42,150 in Lords attendance allowance in the past 12 months. The payment is tax free. He also receives a total pension for his time as an MP and minister estimated at up to £55,000 a year.

Last night Chloe Westley, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘It’s beyond insensitive for peers to complain about their lot on national TV.’