Labour MP charges taxpayers £900 ‘pet rent’ for her cockapoo named Bella
工党议员向纳税人收取 900 英镑的“宠物租金”，用于购买她名叫贝拉的可卡普贵宾犬
A Labour MP has claimed back £900 from the taxpayer in “pet rent”.
一名工党议员向纳税人索取了 900 英镑的“宠物租金”。
Taiwo Owatemi, a Government whip and the MP for Coventry North West, made the expenses claim in August last year, a document published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) revealed.
独立议会标准局 （Ipsa） 发布的一份文件显示，政府党鞭兼考文垂西北国会议员 Taiwo Owatemi 于去年 8 月提出了费用报销。
whip
n. 鞭子，皮鞭；党鞭，政党纪律委员；（用鸡蛋、鲜奶油与水果混合制成的）甜品；书面通知；鞭打，抽打；<喻>鞭策物，刺激物；鞭状枝，鞭状植物；<美>（用于割某些庄稼的）长柄大镰刀，钐刀；<英>党员资格（the whip）；定单绞辘；<非正式>车；（专管把离群猎狗赶回狗群的）猎人副手
Ms Owatemi’slandlord at her second home in London issued the extra charge in order to let the MP’s dog stay at the property, according to The Times newspaper.
据《泰晤士报》报道，Owatemi 女士在伦敦的第二个家的房东 收取了额外费用，以便让议员的狗留在该物业。
Parliamentary authorities paid the expenses claim, which is not in breach of the rules governing MPs’ expenses.
议会当局支付了费用索赔，这并不违反管理国会议员费用的规定。
Labour defended Ms Owatemi’s expenses claim, with a party spokesman telling The Times: “MPs are required to work in two locations, and this is a requirement for living in this house.
工党为奥瓦特米女士的开支索赔进行了辩护，该党发言人告诉《泰晤士报》：“议员需要在两个地方工作，这是住在这所房子里的要求。
“It is the same for many other MPs and has been approved by the parliamentary expenses watchdog.”
“许多其他议员也是如此，并且已经得到了议会开支监督机构的批准。”
Ms Owatemi has frequently posted on social media in the past about her dog, a cockapoo named Bella.
Owatemi 女士过去经常在社交媒体上发布关于她的狗，一只名叫 Bella 的可卡普贵宾犬。
She is also a supporter of the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and other pet-related charities.
她还是巴特西猫狗之家和其他与宠物相关的慈善机构的支持者。
MPs can claim back rent on their accommodation in London if they have a constituencyoutside of the capital.
如果议员的选区不在伦敦，他们可以要求退还他们在伦敦的住宿租金。
constituency
**Unemployment is high in her constituency. **
她的选区的失业人数居高不下。
**He owns a house in his Darlington constituency. **
他在自己的选区达灵顿拥有一座房子。
Ipsa told The Times it agreed to fund the pet rent surcharge for Ms Owatemi, but “gave incorrect advice as to how it should be described”.
Ipsa 告诉《泰晤士报》，它同意为 Owatemi 女士的宠物租金附加费提供资金，但“对于如何描述它给出了错误的建议”。
“We have apologised directly to the MP and are sorry for any confusion,” the parliamentary watchdog said.
“我们已经直接向国会议员道歉，并为任何混淆感到抱歉，”议会监督机构说。
A spokesman added: “MPs are required to work in two places: their constituency and in Westminster.
一位发言人补充说：“议员需要在两个地方工作：他们的选区和威斯敏斯特。
“IPSA is committed to supporting a Parliament where people without the private finances to fund working from two locations themselves are not prevented from becoming an MP.
“IPSA 致力于支持一个议会，在这个议会中，没有私人资金来资助在两个地方工作的人不会被阻止成为议员。
IPSA希望确保即使是没钱在两个地方都住的人，也能当议员，不会因为经济条件不好就失去机会。
这句话的背景是：很多议员需要在伦敦工作，但他们的选区（家乡）不在伦敦，如果没有补贴，他们就得自己掏钱在两个地方都住。IPSA就是负责给议员发工资和报销的人，他们说自己会帮助这些人，不让“没钱”成为当不上议员的理由。
“That is why we fund accommodation costs, within strict limits. It is common for landlords to include additional surcharges in rental agreements."
“这就是为什么我们在严格的范围内为住宿费用提供资金。房东在租赁协议中包含额外的附加费是很常见的。
