Editing Sandra Gidley (section)

==Criticism of parliamentary expenses==
Gidley was sometimes described as "Hampshire's most expensive MP" by her political opponents,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/archive/2009/04/03/News+%28news%29/4256825.Sandra_top_of_the_MPs____expenses_league |title=Archive &#124; Archive of stories uploaded to the Daily Echo website |publisher=Daily Echo |date=3 April 2009 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005055432/http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/archive/2009/04/03/News+(news)/4256825.Sandra_top_of_the_MPs____expenses_league/ |archive-date=5 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> claiming £160,000 in 2007/08, and £187,000 in another year, amidst concerns she was using tax payer's money to fund her political and re-election campaign.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/archive/2009/05/29/News+%28news%29/4403891.Row_over_MP_office_expenses/ |title=Archive &#124; Archive of stories uploaded to the Daily Echo website |publisher=Daily Echo |date=29 May 2009 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004212714/http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/archive/2009/05/29/News+%28news%29/4403891.Row_over_MP_office_expenses/ |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> It emerged the tax payer was paying money to her party's constituency office, including paying the business rates, £60 for water, over £600 a year on telephones, and £960 on tea, coffee and cleaning.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0607_IEP.pdf |title=Incidental Expenses Provision/Staffing Allowance |publisher=Mpsallowances.parliament.uk |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004213839/http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0607_IEP.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0708_IEP.pdf |title=Incidental Expenses Provision/Staffing Allowance |publisher=Mpsallowances.parliament.uk |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214223/http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0708_IEP.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2011, her successor, Conservative MP Caroline Nokes, claimed £87,000 a year less in expenses than Gidley.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9917340.MP_expenses_scandal_is_history_____watchdog/ |title=MP expenses scandal is history – watchdog (From Daily Echo) |publisher=Dailyecho.co.uk |date=7 September 2012 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004212722/http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9917340.MP_expenses_scandal_is_history_____watchdog/ |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> However in 2017–2018 Caroline Nokes was claiming £168,297.18 in expenses.<ref>{{cite web |title=Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority |url=http://www.theipsa.org.uk/mp-costs/interactive-map/ |website=Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority |accessdate=2 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190407072850/http://www.theipsa.org.uk/mp-costs/interactive-map/ |archive-date=7 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> 
Whilst an MP, Gidley was claiming £1,638 a month<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0910_PAAE.pdf |title=Member's Reimbursement Form |publisher=Mpsallowances.parliament.uk |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004214122/http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0910_PAAE.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> for a luxury flat with indoor swimming pool in London,<ref>{{cite web |author= |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5297606/MPs-expenses-Full-list-of-MPs-investigated-by-the-Telegraph.html |title=MPs' expenses: Full list of MPs investigated by the |publisher=Telegraph |date=8 May 2009 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504015241/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5297606/MPs-expenses-Full-list-of-MPs-investigated-by-the-Telegraph.html |archive-date=4 May 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> as well as £420 a month for food, and over £1,000 for Council Tax,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0809_ACA.pdf |title=Member's claim form |publisher=Mpsallowances.parliament.uk |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004215140/http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/sandra-gidley/Sandra_Gidley_0809_ACA.pdf |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/4787743.Romsey_MP_only_claimed_rent_and_bills_on_expenses/ |title=Romsey MP only claimed rent and bills on expenses (From Daily Echo) |publisher=Dailyecho.co.uk |date=10 December 2009 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004212559/http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/4787743.Romsey_MP_only_claimed_rent_and_bills_on_expenses/ |archive-date=4 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> and was criticised when it emerged she and three other Lib Dem MPs, accepted a £18,700 cash windfall from the landlord of the Dolphin Square flat, in return for agreeing to an increase in their rent, which was funded by the taxpayer. She was found to have "accepted one-off cash payment from the owners of an apartment block close to Parliament in return for agreeing to pay higher rent levels". A Parliamentary Committee on Standards and Privileges was critical of Gidley's 'serious misjudgment' in accepting the windfall, said she had broken the rules, and she was forced to apologise for it.<ref>{{cite web |last=Swaine |first=Jon |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/liberal-democrat-mps-expenses/7480342/MPs-expenses-Lib-Dem-MPs-broke-rules-by-taking-landlord-payments.html |title=MPs' expenses: Lib Dem MPs broke rules by taking landlord payments |publisher=Telegraph |date=19 March 2010 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131025121649/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/liberal-democrat-mps-expenses/7480342/MPs-expenses-Lib-Dem-MPs-broke-rules-by-taking-landlord-payments.html |archive-date=25 October 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/5072380.MP_ordered_to_apologise_to_Commons/ |title=MP ordered to apologise to Commons (From Daily Echo) |publisher=Dailyecho.co.uk |date=19 March 2010 |accessdate=3 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813205659/http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/5072380.MP_ordered_to_apologise_to_Commons/ |archive-date=13 August 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8576304.stm |title=Lib Dem MPs criticised after second home rent probe |work=BBC News |date=19 March 2010 |accessdate=3 October 2013}}</ref>