BEING an MP has unexpected benefits, as East Lancashire Labour backbencher Peter Pike discovered when he decided that he would buy the freehold of his constituency home.

The Burnley MP revealed in the House of Commons that he had spent years advising worried people in his constituency not to bother to buy out long leases on their houses, saying it was a waste of money.

But gradually it dawned on him that the number of problems with leasehold properties, such as tying people into expensive insurance deals, had grown to such an extent that a U-turn was needed.

So he changed his mind and bought out the lease on his house in Ormerod Road, near Burnley town centre.

Mr Pike told a debate on simplifying the leasehold system and making it easier for people to buy their freeholds: "I have bought the freehold of the property in which I live in Burnley.

"For many years I advised people not to bother to buy the freehold, but I did as I was fortunate enough to be able to do so and I saw the problems of my constituents.

"I did not want to suffer a similar hassle or problem and I could afford to buy, so I paid £250 plus the legal costs and duly bought it out.

"Even then the landlord was overcharging. The lease stated that it should be £3.87, but I never argued about the extra 13 pence. I always coughed up the £4 when he asked for it.''

Gordon Prentice has got himself a new picture for his many, many press releases.

It's a rather fetching and very clear one of the Pendle Labour MP looking healthy and windswept, as befits the politician mainly responsible for getting the "right to roam'' legislation giving walkers legal permission to ramble over open land.

It is certainly a great improvement over the previous grainy photograph which made him look alarmingly like Dracula!