STARTLING restaurant and bar bills shocked Stroud MP Neil Carmichael – until he discovered he had been charged for another MP's meals and drinks as well.
The Conservative settled an outstanding £600 for food and drink consumed at the Houses of Parliament only after the authorities untangled his bill from that of his namesake Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland.
Stroud's Mr Carmichael was named in a list of 11 MPs who had not paid bar or catering bills after 90 days, then subsequently settled up, in a response to a Freedom of Information Act request.
But he told Stroud Life the £600 bill for the Strangers Dining Room, the Members Smoking Room and the Pugin Room were paid once the drinks and meals which were not his were removed from his account.
"The problem was that there are two Carmichaels," he said. "Some of Alistair's bills were put on my account. I told the accounts office and they failed to sort it out.
"I simply refused to pay until they did. I forced them to remove all Alistair Carmichael's items, then I paid them the £600.
"This is not Alistair's fault, it's the fault of the account's department. What really annoyed me was that they did not get on and do it."
Mr Carmichael has championed pubs in his constituency and brought local ales to Westminster bars.
He added: "I know what I drink and I don't drink scotch, so I knew the bills weren't mine."
