AS a regular reader of the Okehampton Times, on October 31 I read in Mel Stride's Benchmark how concerned he was over the hike of energy bills and he encouraged householders to switch to lower tariffs and suppliers.

Perhaps our MP should practice what he is preaching, seeing as he claimed £3,223.64 for his second home energy bill.

How can he justify such a claim from taxpayers, when, in his own words, he knows we are all struggling?

Eileen Drew

Pikes Mead

Okehampton