This was sent out to Labour MPs yesterday morning:

From: PLP Resource Centre
Sent: 30 March 2012 10:32
Subject: Get on board Ken’s FareDeal Express
To: Labour MPs

Dear colleague,

With just over a month to go before London goes to the polls, the Ken Livingstone for London Campaign has stepped up the pace for the home straight.

Recently the campaign launched the FareDeal Express, our double decker battlebus which has been traveling the length and breadth of London, full of activists who have been taking our message to those target areas that will win this election for Labour.

Now we would like you to join us for a day on the battle bus.

From Wednesday 4th April the FareDeal Express will be leaving 39 Victoria Street everyday in the mid/late morning and returning by 6pm. The bus will take MPs, councillors and activists to key target areas across London. If you would like to join us, please e-mail me at Ross_MacRae@labour.org.uk to sign up to arrange for a day (or more) on the battlebus on a date that’s suitable for you from 2nd April until 3rd May.

Please also encourage your staff to join us. This election is going to be a close fight and every activist can help us to win for Labour.

The email asks Labour MPs to send their staff to help Ken. MPs’ staff are paid by the taxpayer to carry out constituency work on behalf of their MPs. It is against the rules for staffers to work on political campaigns during working hours. Note the bus leaves Labour HQ mid-morning and drops them back at the end of the working day. MPs who let their staff go during working hours risk being reported to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner for abusing expenses…