Gaffe-prone Harriet Harman faces an investigation for admitting taxpayers paid for ministers to drum up votes on Cabinet awaydays. Taxpayers have spent nearly £650,000 so far on such Cabinet meetings around the country.
The main trips outside London have taken place in seats that Labour is under threat of losing at the General Election.
Cabinet meetings last just 90 minutes, which puts their cost at around £700 per minute.
Gordon Brown has traversed the country desperately trying to secure votes. But a letter from Labour Deputy Leader Miss Harman exposes the campaigning motive behind the visit, which is dressed up as government business.
Before a recent trip to Exeter, she invited prospective parliamentary candidates and regional politicians to talk at a meeting about 'campaigning'.
The seat is held with a 7,665 majority by Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw, but bookies believe he will lose the seat to Tory Hannah Foster.
In a letter written to party members in the South West, Miss Harman said: 'I will be in Exeter on government business next month and would like to take the opportunity ... to reschedule the meeting with party members.'
She goes on to say: 'It will be helpful for me to hear from you in the run-up to the General Election. Local Constituency Labour Party Officers, councillors and trades union activists, plus South MPs and parliamentary candidates, have all been invited so it will be a discussion rather than speeches!'
Under election rules, the governing party cannot use taxpayer-funded resources once an election is called.
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