How MPs spend Christmas

British MPs are unlikely to be found doing this

By BBC News Online's Ben Davies

Come Christmas most people will spend their time eating, drinking and not thinking of work - but not necessarily the nation's elected.

Most MPs, it seems, will spend a lot of their time buddying-up with their constituents - and this has nothing to do with the election predicted for next year.

According to a swift survey conducted by News Online, most members will waste barely a moment in their quest to serve their electorate.

Whether it's mince pies with the local clergy, Christmas lunch with pensioners or just clearing a backlog of constituency business, the people we elect are a worthy bunch.

Some MPs will be mixing business with their idea of pleasure, of course.

Christmas is not for Pound's money

For example Ealing North Labour MP Stephen Pound, whose holiday season will be limited to having Christmas day off before heading down the Commons for a spot of paperwork on Boxing Day morning.

Come the afternoon he will be off to see Fulham play Watford and have a few modest shandies, he said.

'Humbug'

No fan of yuletide Mr Pound describes Christmas as "all humbug" and "loathsome saccharine nonsense".

A more enthusiastic fan of the season is the Montgomeryshire MP Lembit Opik who is planning to go to see his mum and dad before conducting a "fact finding tour" around the licenced premises in his constituency.

The rest of the Liberal Democrat's holiday will include the "Round Britain Opik Tour 2000" to see his friends across the country and sitting in a shed tinkering with his motorcycle and a crate of beer.

Family pantomine

Conservative MP Peter Bottomley will divide his time between his wife Virginia's constituency of Surrey South West and his own, Worthing West.

Apart from a family Christmas and a spot of pantomime, the Bottomleys are planning a quick trip to the Isle of Wight.

But not all Tory MPs are planning to stay glued to UK shores.

Adventurous

The adventurous Litchfield member, Michael Fabricant, will jet off to Bali for New Year.

As if that was not adventure enough, he will then fly to Australia for some brisk walking in the Kimberley district.

No foreign climes, though, for leftwing Labour MP Jeremy Corbyn, who, aside from spending time with pensioners on Christmas day in his Islington North constituency, will be taking his kids out.

"No skiing, no Caribbean beaches for me," said Mr Corbyn.

Lunch with pensioners

Senior politicians seem equally worthy.

Shadow home secretary Ann Widdecombe will spend Christmas visiting the sick in hospital and popping in to nursing homes.

But her festive season will largely be spent on duty at Conservative Central Office organising Tory responses to any political issue.

Precious time

Prime Minister Tony Blair is intending to grab some precious time with his family at his official country residence, Chequers.

And Anne Begg, the Aberdeen South Labour MP, is seeking a similarly restful time.

She told BBC News Online that her Christmas is to be largely spent on catching up on some sleep.

For Tory MP Anne McIntosh it is foxhunting and flooding and not the holly and the ivy that will dominate her yuletide.

The Vale of York member, will spend Christmas with her family before going to see a hunt off - although with nine hunts and two beagle packs within her area Mrs McIntosh will be spoilt for choice.

She said that a possible ban on hunting is a dominating issue in her highly rural constituency - not to mention the 250 families displaced by the autumnal flooding.

Not a hunter herself Mrs McIntosh said she is always keen to see the men in red coats on their way but fears that they could be nearing a final tally-ho!