A POLITICIAN has claimed more than £2,600 of public money for the upkeep of his website.

The bill, for £2,664, was one of four claims made by Braintree MP, Brooks Newmark, in August and September.

The figures were published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which oversees MPs’ allowances.

Mr Newmark also claimed £126 for business cards, but made no travel claims during the two-month period.

By contrast, Witham MP Priti Patel made 36 separate claims during the same period, including 22 claims for car journeys to and from London.

Ms Patel’s £9,598.84 total claim also included a Blackberry phone bill of £104.12, £145 hall hire and £180 for leaflet printing for a job fair held at Witham Public Hall.

Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell claimed £30.15 in mileage, while North Essex MP Bernard Jenkin claimed £48.81 for a Vodafone mobile phone bill.

Clacton MP Douglas Carswell claimed £50.40 in mileage.