DIANE Abbott has defended spending £2,235 on taxis at the taxpayers' expense.

MPs were forced to reveal their travel expenses last week after losing a two-year Freedom of Information battle.

Ms Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, who does not drive, told the Gazette that the cost equates to just £40 a week, or three late-night taxi rides between Westminster and her home in Dalston.

She said: "I claimed over £2,000 in taxi expenses last year, but this has been reported in such a way as to imply that I travel everywhere by taxi.

"The facts are that I use public transport most days to travel to Westminster as regular users of the 149 or 242 bus route will testify. I use public transport more than most MPs."

Details of MPs' total expense claims, including the sums spent on their office staff's salaries, were laid bare last October.

However, Liberal Democrat MP, Norman Baker, argued that a breakdown of travel expenses ought to be released.

He fought the two-year Freedom of Information battle because he believes the public have the right to know how their money is spent. The figures showed that MPs claimed £5 million in total to travel around by bicycle, car, plane, taxi and train.

Ms Abbott, who also claimed £85 rail expenses, catches the bus from the corner of Kingsland Road and Middleton Road and then takes the Tube from Liverpool Street to Westminster.

She added: "But I do take a cab if, for instance, I am going home close to midnight, or if I have to get to Hackney for an evening meeting and then back to Westminster for a 10pm vote.

"In fact, £2,000 a year is approximately £40 a week. That is the cost of approximately three late-night cab rides back to Hackney from Westminster."

Meg Hillier, the MP Hackney South and Shoreditch, did not claim any expenses for taxis. She claimed £43 for rail travel and a further £856 on a bus and travel season ticket.

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