Former Essex County Council leader Lord Hanningfield has been accused of using a 'clock in clock out' technique at his day job in the House of Lords - claiming his full £300 daily allowance without apparently doing any work. Do you have any sympathy with Lord Hanningfield? Vote in our poll to the right.
The disgraced Conservative Party peer, who was jailed for fiddling his expenses in 2011, has been exposed by undercover reporters from the Daily Mirror, turning up at Westminster, spending only half an hour there on several occasions this summer before leaving.
The 73-year-old failed to take part in any votes or meetings on several occasions, according to the newspaper, and in one instance claimed £5,700 in a single month.
There is no suggestion Lord Hanningfield broke any rules, and the peer claimed he was one of dozens to use the technique when confronted by the newspaper.
In a video published by the Daily Mirror on Monday evening, Lord Hanningfield was filmed driving to Ingatestone railway station at 1.20pm before catching the 1.32pm train to London.
After taking the Tube, he arrived at Westminster at 2.36pm - before apparently leaving shortly after 3pm.
Following this, the newspaper filmed him heading back to Ingatestone by train, arriving back at 4.15pm before driving back to his home in West Hanningfield.
Parliamentary records show Lord Hanningfield was absent for eight votes that took place during July, including one on the same sex marriage bill, according to the Daily Mirror.
In all, he claimed £51,300 in allowances without taking part in any debates, but finally spoke in October 2010 - welcoming plans for a revamped Chelmsford railway station.
The latest scandal comes two years after Lord Hanningfield - real name Paul White - served nine weeks in jail after he was convicted of falsely claiming £14,000 in parliamentary allowances.
His excessive credit card spending while at Essex County Council between 2005 and 2010 was also exposed by the Essex Chronicle.
