Brussels - Members of the European Parliament have voted to keep the gravy train rolling. This week they quashed attempts to limit their travel expenses to the real cost of their journeys, writes Stephen Bates.
The vote on Thursday means that the 626 Euro MPs can continue to claim reimbursement of full air fares from their constituencies, regardless of actual expenditure. "Inconvenience payments", which cover the cost of getting to the airport and back (even if the flight was not taken), are an additional source of revenue.
An amendment calling for reimbursement only of actual costs was defeated by 244 votes to 214.