MPs’ roles in representing constituents mean they have to spend time working in London, says Helen Southworth.

“People don’t understand that I have to go down to London every week because that is where the decisions are made.

“It’s important that we can be in there at the decision making process and make people know what the issues are and what is important for us,” she said.

The Warrington South MP was talking about the importance of offering MPs some form of expense to cover working in both London and Warrington at the same time.

She added that hours can be very long for those working in the House of Commons with sessions finishing beyond 11pm.

Mrs Southworth added: “Warrington is a very long way from London and you have to work in two places at once.

“I have got rented property in London but I live up here with my family.”

Among the claims made through expenses over the past four years include paying a cleaner to tidy her London flat and an air purifier for her second home for health purposes.

She rents a flat with monthly payments averaging around £1,100.

The MP claimed £138,699 in expenses from 2007/8 ranking 434 out of 645 MPs for the most amount claimed.

More than £85,000 of that was on staffing costs of her London and Warrington offices.

She believes that the expenses system should be made clear for MPs and the public adding that an inquiry into claims should prove decisive.

“I think there should be clear simple rules that everyone should be able to follow and understand,” said Mrs Southworth, adding that expenses were important to allow anyone the opportunity to serve in Parliament.