A Labour MP has defended his April Fool’s Day photography prank saying that it would be wrong to suggest it constitutes a waste of public money.<\/p>\n
Dan Norris, MP for Wansdyke in Somerset, sent a six-page press release to newspapers announcing that he had become the House of Commons’ first ever ?artist in residence?.<\/p>\n
The 1 April release added that the keen amateur had been commissioned to photograph ?day-to-day happenings in and around the Commons chamber?.<\/p>\n
He continued: ?The ground-breaking move follows a warning by the Speaker of the House of Commons to all MPs? after claims a Labour MP had used his mobile phone to take photographs of Lib Dems abstaining on a key EU vote?.<\/p>\n
Asked whether he felt the public may view the prank as a waste of time and money – when MPs? expenses are coming under increasing scrutiny – a spokesman for the MP said: ?Given My Norris penned this humorous news release as he was travelling back to his constituency on the train it would be incorrect to suggest this constitutes a waste of public money since it doesn?t cost the taxpayer a penny.?<\/p>\n
The MP’s office told us that most people appreciate having a ‘human’ local MP with a sense of humour.<\/p>\n
The joke – the latest in a series issued in recent years – initially fooled a number of local journalists, according to the MP.<\/p>\n