The Hartlepool Councillors Caught Moonlighting as MP Caseworkers: As Labour MP claims back their salaries on Expenses..
- teessidetoday
- Mar 13
- 6 min read
Three current Hartlepool Labour councillors found to be simultaneously employed as caseworkers for regional Labour MPs, sparking concern over why these jobs were not recruited locally at a time of severe unemployment.
13th March 2025
Updated 28th November 2025
The Teesside & Durham Post, has unearthed a troubling revelation which is likely to reopen old wounds relating to whether some of Hartlepool's Labour Councillors are once again attempting to line their own pockets by boarding the infamous 'Gravy Train'.
It comes after its been discovered Three Hartlepool Labour councillors—Rachel Creevey, Martin Dunbar, and Fiona Cook—have been found to be working as caseworkers for Labour MPs, whilst simultaneously serving as elected Members of Hartlepool Borough Council.
In the revelations which were unearthed after obtaining a copy of the three councillors register of interests, Councillor Creevey was found to be employed by Labour MP Luke Myer, The MP for Middlesbrough and South East Cleveland, whilst Councillors Martin Dunbar and Fiona Cook are said to be on the payroll of Hartlepool’s own MP, Jonathan Brash...
This arrangement is said to be raising some questions about potential conflicts of interest, transparency, and, the ethical standards expected of elected officials.....
The exact salary figures of the councillors being employed by both labour MP's at this moment remains undisclosed, however recent disclosures made through parliamentary expenses reports show that Labour MP Jonathan Brash claimed back
£114,030.10 in staff payroll which he billed to his parliamentary expenses account.i
In addition to this, Mr Brash claimed over £570.60, as well as £4620 in staff travel pounds in 'training'...
On top of this, all three councillors working for the two Labour MP's continue to receive their annual councillor allowances from Hartlepool Borough Council of £8,330 per year, funded by local taxpayers, which, for some members of the public may look like a convenient way for elected town officials to secure some additional sideline income, all whilst the taxpayer is left footing the bill through parliamentary expense claims.
The revelation has some Historical Parallels...
Its not the first time such arrangements have sparked controversy, particularly within the Labour Party.
A notable example from Hartlepool’s own political history was the former Labour MP Iain Wright, who represented the Hartlepool constituency from 2004 to 2017. Wright, a Labour MP, was said to have employed his wife, Tiffany, as a senior caseworker at his parliamentary office.
Whilst its claimed this was perfectly within the rules at the time, it drew considerable scrutiny for the potential conflict of interest and the perception of favouritism, as well as questions as to why Mr Wright failed to recruit the posts externally to those within his own constituency, an area that to this day embarrassingly boasts some of the worst unemployment & deprivation rates in the country. Wright’s case was however not isolated—employing family members in taxpayer-funded roles has been a recurring issue across party lines, with several MPs historically engaging in similar practices.
For instance, in the early 2000s, numerous MPs were criticised for employing spouses, children, or even other relatives as staff, often in roles such as caseworkers or office managers. High-profile examples included Labour MP Tony Blair, who employed his wife, Cherie, in a publicly funded capacity during his time as an MP, and Conservative MP Derek Conway, who was famously reprimanded in 2008 for paying his sons for work that was deemed insufficiently documented. These practices led to significant reforms in 2010 during what was known as 'The Expenses Scandal', when the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) introduced stricter rules, including a ban on MPs hiring new family members after that date, though those already employed were grandfathered in.
Whilst information on the recent levels of expenses claimed is scarce, reports from previous years reveal The total cost of MP expenses (now referred to as "business costs") was approximately £132.5 million in 2020-21, with a significant portion (around 80%) of that going towards staffing. Annual spending through MP expenses has reportedly fluctuated; with MP expenses claims increasing by 4.6% between 2019-20 and 2020-21, suggesting the amount claimed by MP's is getting ever higher.
The latest revelation locally is likely to be perceived by many as 'Cronyism'
The revelation of at least three of Hartlepool’s Labour councillors found to be working as MP caseworkers mirrors this earlier trend of leveraging public office for either personal or familial gain.
Whilst the current case doesn't involve direct family members, the close political ties between town councillors and the MPs—bound by party loyalty and shared interests—creates a similar dynamic of perceived cronyism. Just as MP's employing family members raised questions about meritocracy and fairness, the employment of councillors in these roles risks undermining public confidence in the impartiality of both local and national governance.
Public Perception Will be that Hartlepool's Taking a Worrying Step Backwards to the days of another former Labour Administration...
To the average Hartlepool resident, this arrangement's likely to look like a cosy deal that prioritises Labour councillors personal gain over public service. Councillors are elected to represent the interests of their constituents, not to leverage their positions for additional employment opportunities within the same political ecosystem. The fact that these roles are with Labour MPs—potentially creating a closed loop of party loyalty—only deepens the perception of cronyism. This was evident back in 2016 under the former Hartlepool Labour Group Leader Christopher Ackers Belcher, who leveraged his role as town councillor & leader of Hartlepool Borough Council to secure lucrative council grant funding for the opening of a local Healthwatch Charity when the contract finally come up for renewal...
This quickly led to Mr Ackers Belcher himself being appointed the charities 'Chief Executive' despite having little (if any) experience in such a role, proceeding to then employ one of his closest political allies as his right hand man Labour Councillor Stephen Thomas.
Residents may then wonder how these current serving councillors Creevey, Dunbar & Cook can actually remain impartial in their council duties when they're now heavily financially tied to MPs who may have their own agendas, particularly when it comes to local issues that intersect with national politics.
Moreover, the lack of transparency around the salaries and expense claims other than what's been reported on the councillors register of interests fuels a lot of suspicion. If these roles are indeed being billed as “day-to-day office staffing costs,” the public has a right to know just exactly how much of their money is being used to fund what could be seen as political favouritism. Without clear disclosure, this situation risks eroding trust in both local and national government & likely to see other journalists making their own enquiries as to how many labour MP's across the country are now employing their Labour Councillors as their office staff.
The employment of councillors as MP caseworkers reflects a broader pattern of behaviour seen in the earlier practice of MPs hiring family members. Both practices exploit the opacity of public funding systems—whether through parliamentary expenses or council grants—to secure personal or political advantage. And whilst the rules around hiring family members have been tightened, the current case demonstrates that clear loopholes and ethical 'Gray Areas' in the system continue to persist, particularly when it comes to employing political allies. This behaviour not only undermines merit-based employment, but also reinforces the perception of a political class that is more concerned with self-interest, rather than public service & more importantly, creating job opportunities for their local people..
The revelations about these three Hartlepool councillors are more than just a local controversy—they're a test of our political system’s ability to uphold ethical standards. If left unchecked, such practices risk normalising behaviour seen by locals in the past Labour Administrations in Hartlepool that clearly undermined public trust and tarnished the integrity of public service.
What do you think ?
Should MP's be banned from employing town councillors as caseworkers ?
YES
NO
