A SENIOR councillor has criticised local MPs for being ‘out of touch’ and showing ‘a lack of understanding’.

Councillor Mark Hood, who chairs the Cowdenbeath Area Committee, made the remarks in light of information showing that the local MPs had spent nearly £26,000 between them on business class fights to London in their first year as a member of Parliament.

Mr Hood said: "We have families in our community relying on food banks to feed their children and unable to heat their homes because they can’t afford to pay their fuel bills.

"To have MP’s who represent this area splashing out thousands of taxpayers' pounds on business class tickets shows a lack of understanding of the challenges faced by their constituents."

Local MP’s Peter Grant and Douglas Chapman who represent the Cardenden and Hill of Beath areas claimed £12,000 and £14,000, respectively for business class travel. However, fellow MP Rodger Mullin spent just over £1,000 on business class flights preferring instead to travel economy.

Mr Hood, who represents Lochgelly and Cardenden added: "We had the expenses scandal of a few years ago which sickened people.

"To see new MPs adopting the same sense of entitlement makes local people angry. At a time when local services are being cut for the most vulnerable in our community all elected representatives need to be aware of how difficult times are for the people we serve."

Douglas Chapman commented:"Cllr Mark Hood's comment on flights are amusing, not only because he is trying to localise a story that was found to be misleading by several national newspapers, but because he seems to have a very short memory.

"It was a weekly event for my Labour predecessor to request an ‘executive taxi and limousine’ service to chauffeur him to Edinburgh Airport. I write this from my iPad on the 747 bus to Edinburgh Airport after parking at Ferrytoll Park and Ride.

"Unlike those who went before, I only use the Parliamentary Travel Office, which is the Parliament's onsite travel agent. They seek out and negotiate deals with airlines independently - Members of Parliament are instructed by the handbook to use them for all travel.

"My flights are "flexible economy" - there are no first class seats. There is certainly no difference in seating as anyone who uses the service will know. I assure you the first flight out on a Monday and last flight back on a Thursday are no luxury."

He added: "I am unable to book standard tickets due to the archaic nature of Westminster.

"You’d think that in 2016 we would know prior dates and times of debates/votes. But due to the nature of the beast, it’s governed by a bell that rings and anywhere you are on the massive Parliamentary estate you have to go running to take part. It truly is a system that is unfit for purpose with no start or end time.

"I do agree with Cllr Hood on one thing, I would like nothing more than to be able not to have to take these flights, hopefully he supports the next Independence Referendum and we can make these trips a thing of the past."

Roger Mullin responded: “The comments made by Councillor Mark Hood are very misleading.

"The Business UK ticket facilitates flexible travel, allowing MPs to change their travel arrangements at short notice, which is something often required due to the erratic nature of parliamentary business, at no extra cost. To constantly book and cancel flights would undoubtedly cost much more.

“I should point out that my air travel costs are coming in significantly lower than my colleagues because I usually travel between my constituency and London via rail, in standard class. To suggest that we are booking ‘Business Class’ tickets because we have a ‘sense of entitlement’ is just completely untrue.”