MP Chris Kelly under fire after claiming £10 for Remembrance trip

Chris Kelly, Conservative MP for Dudley South, said the claim was made 'in error' and the money had been paid back.

But it was labelled 'disgusting' and a 'disgrace' by Royal British Legion members after official records showed Mr Kelly received £10.80 on expenses to travel 24 miles to the Remembrance Sunday commemoration in Kingswinford last year.

The claim, which was published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, was made for the event which took place on November 9 last year.

UKIP's parliamentary candidate for Dudley South, Paul Brothwood, said he was appalled by Mr Kelly's claim for £10.80 in expenses to cover the cost of travelling to Remembrance Day services.

"They are detached from reality in their cosseted Westminster bubble and I find it appalling that we have elected politicians making claims like this.

"They should be thinking of the fallen who paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives for this country and should not be thinking of their bank balances.

"After the expenses scandal you would have thought our politicians would have learned their lesson.

"But sadly it appears there are still those who see pound signs before the public duty."

Mr Brothwood said he had written a letter to request that Mr Kelly pays this money back into the public purse.

Mr Kelly told the Express & Star the money had been paid back.

Natasha Millward, Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Mr Kelly's Dudley South constituency branded the MP 'out of touch'.

The authority says the claim, which was paid out to Mr Kelly, was made for 'Remembrance Sunday mileage' in his own vehicle classed as 'within constituency travel'.

Mr Kelly said: "It was a claim in error and it has been paid back already."

However, Gornal RBL member and Labour councillor Ken Finch said: "I don't think that you can sink much lower than if you are going to do that.

"It is nothing short of disgusting. Even if it was a pound it shouldn't happen.

"This is part of the civic duties that if you are in a public role it is your job to show some respect to remember people who fought in the first and second world wars and other conflicts.

"It is respect for the people who never came back."

Stan Hough, treasurer with Lower Gornal Royal British Legion branch, added: "It is totally unacceptable. It is a disgrace.

"Thousands of people travel a long way to Remembrance Day parades and they don't claim anything purely and simply because they are proud to do it for their ancestors.

"It is part of our duties towards our own country."

Despite the claim for such a small sum the Kelly family, led by Mr Kelly's father Chris, has donated £75,000 to the Wolverhampton Youth Zone project while the Keltruck dealership Mr Kelly senior owns donated £50,000.

The revelation comes as Mr Kelly is preparing to step down at the General Election in May with Mike Wood, who is a councillor in Stourbridge, standing as the Tory candidate in the constituency.

Kingswinford Royal British Legion declined to comment.