Exclusive: The MP who oversaw moves to remove the names of parliamentary staff from the public record was forced to apologise for failing to declare that he was employing his own wife. Alberto Costa, chairman of the Commons Standards Committee, failed to declare his wife’s employment while speaking in a debate about the staff register. Six months later, the committee he chairs agreed that staff names should no longer be published - a move critics warn will make it harder to expose conflicts of interest, lobbying and foreign influence in Westminster. The row comes at an awkward time for Costa’s committee, which is responsible for judging whether MPs have broken Parliament’s rules and could ultimately be called on to rule on whether Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has done so. For a body charged with holding other MPs to the highest standards, the credibility of its own chairman is likely to come under particular scrutiny. Story 👇

How can someone so careless or deceitful possibly be chairman of the Commons Standards Committee?

This ridiculous and corrupt practice of MPs employing family members should have been banned many many years ago.

For 2026-27, the salary of an MP will be £98,599. We made this decision after widespread public engagement, and benchmarking against other responsible roles in the UK and around the world. You can find out more about our decision-making below: assets.ctfassets.net/s90k6pr…

Its absolutely unbelievable. £5000 pay rise. I bet Richard must be very popular. @Keir_Starmer @UKLabour Its these stories that make you realise how pathetic and useless the government really is. On top of their pay rise, people still suffer.. Just a fiddle

Myth: MPs get their home bills paid. Reality: I pay my own mortgage and bills in Rugby. When Parliament requires me in London, rent for the flat is covered, same as any worker required away from home. I pay for my own food.

Sorry, are we meant to be grateful that you pay for your own food?! MPs get paid a small fortune compared to most Brits — and that’s before expenses and perks are thrown in. You’ve made yourself look a complete clown here.

Aw, this brave MP has revealed he has to pay for his own food. However does he cope on a meagre salary of more than 90 grand plus expenses and other perks?! Bless him. 🙃

Plus the 5% raise they all just voted for themselves

theipsa.org.uk/news/why-do-m… they dont pay for mortgages or mortgage interest. Believe they used to be able to before 2010 though

Stella says my criticism is wrong. Then admits she claims in excess of £250k from the taxpayer in expenses. So I’m right. Now argues it’s not fair to criticise her because she’s doing good things on other people’s money. Nice work if you can get it eh?

Exactly. At best she is susceptible to bribery with posts like this, at worst it could be perceived as her begging for it.

I struggle to get my mileage paid in expenses. 250k is insane.i have no sympathy until they explain how it all works

Are you saying They Work For You website is wrong?

Expenses of MPs on top of their salaries are colossal

There is a hugely optimistic future for our country, but only if we control spending - especially benefits - bear down on debt and get taxes down. We’re getting poorer because Rachel Reeves is rewarding welfare not work. I spoke to @cathynewman on @timesradio 👇🏻

Benefits like MPs expenses for a start you get paid enough usually have two houses everything funded by taxpayers food ,bills mortgages, money grabbing twats

Stop saying you. Why is this SO difficult for new MPs. It’s like nails on a chalkboard every time.

Or you could just let people express themselves normally? There is so much stupid Hogwartsian shit in Parliament that serves no useful purpose. Why not have a serious modern legislature and not an archaic braying circus?

A far cry from the types of houses that the pensioners who depend on the winter fuel allowance that she has cruelly taken away live in. Though she most likely needs the space to store all her freebies, gifts and donations. She lives in splendour whilst our poorest and most vulnerable suffer, freeze and die because of her entirely political decision that need not have been made. Workers Party of Britain #WorkersPartyGB 👍

Outrageous. We pay for heating this mansion? Time this rip off by MPs who are fabulously wealthy stopped, they are having a laugh at our expense.

You want a political scandal? This is a political scandal.

Perhaps you’d like to post all th mps who are taking the heating allowance on their second homes, that’s real scandal