LIBERAL Democrat environment spokesman MP Norman Baker has branded fellow politicians as 'hypocrites' as they continue to enjoy lavish mileage allowances and free car parking. He claims that while thousands of civil servants are facing hefty mileage allowance cuts, MPs continue to collect a premium rate of 50.1p per mile and enjoy free car parking at the House of Commons - only yards away it costs almost £20 to park a car for 12 hours.

MPs' mileage rates drop to 23.1p per mile when their annual mileage claim exceeds 20,000 miles, but this week Baker tabled a motion to reform MPs' allowances, preventing them from claiming any more than the same journey would cost by train. The motion also calls for the MPs' 326 free car parking spaces at the House of Commons to be charged at the same rate as neighbouring public car parks.

Baker said: 'A large number of fellow Liberal Democrat MPs have signed the motion, along with a few Labour MPs. Capping of mileage allowances is hardly crippling, and perhaps it will make some think twice before climbing into their cars. When you consider the steps the Government claims to be making towards greener transport it seems crazy that MPs should be profiting out of using a car. This environmental selfishness cannot be allowed to continue.'