'£5 A Minute Prescott' Must Go - Oakeshott

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sat 19th May 2007

The Liberal Democrats have attacked John Prescott for costing the taxpayer £5 per minute, as he waits for his resignation to take effect.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson, Lord (Matthew) Oakeshott said:

"John Prescott's flight at taxpayers' expense to see his son in Barbados is a jaunt too far. His new Annual Report reveals that it costs £2,421,000 a year - nearly £5 a minute - to keep him going in his non-job. And he still clings on to his free flat just down the Mall from Buckingham Palace.

"John Prescott must pay a fair share of his flight to Barbados himself to cover the personal part of his visit, and then resign to save long-suffering taxpayers from further punishment.

"Another £280,000 will go down the drain if he hangs on to the end of June."