SDLP MP Eddie McGrady claimed more than £17,000 for top of the range London hotels, according to the latest leaked parliamentary expenses revelations in the Daily Telegraph.

The newspaper reported on the veteran’s hotel bills over a four-year period, including £315 for a night in a five-star boutique hotel.

It also stated that he tried unsuccessfully to claim over £2,500 for food, laundry, telephone and sundry bills for an eight-day period.

Mr McGrady (pictured) defended his expenses, stating that hotels provide better value for taxpayers than claiming for a second home in London.

The Daily Telegraph reported that he spent the majority of his nights in London at The Royal Horseguards Hotel which has recently been given a five-star rating. In 2007, rooms there cost £250 a night.

Meanwhile, DUP MP Nigel Dodds claimed £974.95 over two years for seven tables, according to the Daily Telegraph. His second home allowance expenses also included £296 for picture framing, it stated.

The north Belfast MP has also received £1,540 a month in mortgage interest payments for his second home in south London.