What has he been doing? Labour MP hasn't held a surgery for 14 years... but has still claimed £83,000 'staff costs'

Daily Mail
"A senior Labour MP was under fire last night after admitting he has not held a surgery for constituents for 14 years. Sir Stuart Bell, veteran MP for Middlesbrough, was under pressure from the Labour hierarchy to explain himself following claims that constituents cannot contact him. Most MPs hold local surgeries several times a month for constituents to discuss their problems. Sir Stuart, 73, admits he has not held one since 1997 and unlike most MPs he also has no office in his constituency. Sir Stuart, whose wife Margaret is paid £35,000 a year as his office manager, claims he is willing to meet constituents ‘by appointment’ if they contact his Westminster office. But his local newspaper, the Middlesbrough Gazette, reported this week that it had called his office more than 100 times this summer without reply."