Tories Richard Ashworth and Sajjad Karim have been able to pocket the vast sums over five years in salaries, allowances and expenses. The news comes after ex-Labour MEP Peter Skinner was jailed for four years for a £100,000 expenses fraud.
MEPs are entitled to basic pay of £76,292 a year, plus £2,670 in pension contributions. But they can also claim a £237 per day sustenance allowance tax-free just for turning up to meetings in Brussels or Strasbourg.
Mr Ashworth, 68, a former dairy farmer in East Sussex, claimed £181,705 of that handout between 2010 and 2015. He serves on the 41-member Committee on Budgets but was observed clocking in at around 8.30am on March 17 — and heading for a members-only lounge while his committee meeting took place.
Meanwhile, former lawyer Dr Karim, 45, netted £159,858 from the sustenance allowance over five years and both MEPs had other ways of claiming more cash from the EU. They benefit from first class train travel and business class flights — and get paid a bonus on top of the ticket price.
Mr Ashworth claimed £164,627 in travel expenses across the five years including £45,755 in bonuses, while Dr Karim got £189,420 including £41,259 in bonuses. And while they both get grace and favour offices in Brussels, they also receive £40,130 to fund a UK base. With all UK allowances taken into account, Mr Ashworth got £222,560 and Dr Karim £289,038 over the five years.
Mr Ashworth also employed his wife Sally on a wage of £20,000 to £29,000, until the practice of hiring spouses was axed in 2014.
