MPs give short back and sides to haircut spending

Politicians have rowed extensively in recent years over how best to trim budgets in an era of austerity.

Yesterday, however, MPs clashed over who was making the biggest saving at the barbers after it was revealed the Prime Minister spent £90-a-time on his haircut.

The war of haircut austerity broke out in Westminster when Commons Leader Andrew Lansley said his trim at Cambridge barber’s shop Mr Polito’s only cost £15.

This followed the Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg telling listeners to his weekly phone-in on LBC that he spent £20 on his cut in Sheffield. The Sheffield Halham MP said he had his hair trimmed by a man named Christian at Jam Hairdressing in the city’s Oakbrook Road.

He said: “The last time I got my haircut was in Sheffield, in my constituency, where haircuts are considerably cheaper than in London. But I do pay more when I get my hair cut in London, at a barbers/hairdressers just off Victoria Street.”

Both seemed to have beaten by Labour’s shadow Work and Pensions Minister Chris Bryant, Rhondda, who told his followers on Twitter he spent £13 having his haircut.

Mr Lansley said his barber advised him on his haircut but it was cheaper than Mr Clegg’s. He joked: “Actually, it’s £15, so I am getting my haircut cheaper than the Deputy Prime Minister, which just shows you can come to the Conservatives for value for money.”

The price of a haircut from Mr Cameron’s stylist Lino Carbosiero came out after the hairdresser was made an MBE in the New Year Honours, prompting accusations of cronyism.