Four Members of Parliament expensed the taxpayer for a collective £720 to cover their own driving fines. The Independent yesterday reported that Energy Minister Amanda Solloway, Simon Hoare, Bim Afolami and SNP MP Dave Doogan all claimed tickets on expenses. Sollaway’s bill came to £80 while both Doogan and Folami expensed £160. Simon Hoare was the worst offender, with his four bills costing a total of £320…

Obviously, MPs shouldn’t be able to claim expenses for their speeding fines – as IPSA spelt out against Suella Braverman’s best wishes. In response to the story, IPSA admitted they had made a mistake, and said they would reiterate the rules to the MPs. Once again, the expenses watchdog is giving our elected officials a free ride…

UPDATE: A Tory source has been in touch to say Amanda Solloway and Bim Afolami’s fines were related to the congestion charge, rather than speeding.

UPDATE II: Simon Hoare’s expenses were also related to the congestion charge.

Ben Wallace is clearly not in a mood for taking lectures today. Responding to a defence question from SNP MP Dave Doogan this afternoon, who claimed “army procurement couldn’t order a pizza and get it delivered on time and on budget”, Wallace gave him both barrels:

“Getting lessons from the SNP on procurement, I mean Ferguson Shipyard [is] clinging on by its fingernails. When push comes to shove, they buy their ferries from Turkey… he goes on about all the issues he thinks is wrong with the armed forces from a man who was going to campaign to break up the United Kingdom, reduce the Scottish armed forces to a rubber dinghy, and of course just tell everyone else that it’s all the fault of the English […] and what would be really nice is if once in a while, the SNP in Scotland actually did more than stand in front of ceremonial troops, got out there, helped soldiers be recruited… helped the schools talk about what’s important about defence, rather than always talk it down.”

Taking no prisoners…