Austin Mitchell was made to repay £10,500 of mortgage expenses last week by the Commons authorities after breaching the expenses rules, and on TV tomorrow (Monday) night viewers will see that he was unable to stick to the rules once again in a reality programme on Channel 4

Mr Mitchell, is one of five MPs who were asked to live on some of Britain’s run – down estates in the show “Tower Block Of Commons.”

According to today’s Mail on Sunday the Labour MP for Grimsby and his wife were asked to give up their wallets and mobile phones for a week and asked to wear tracksuits, hoodies and trainers and mix with families as they exerienced what it is like to to manage on £50 a week each.

Unlike the other MPs, Mr Mitchell insisted on bringing his wife with him, and he and Linda then make their week in a Hull high-rise council flat more comfortable by frequently spending extra money.

Recovering heroin addict and former prostitute Selina Bell, 31, who showed the Mitchells round Orchard Park Estate said:

“The day after they arrived, Linda took one look at the Primark tracksuit Austin had changed into and said “He’s not wearing that””

“Then, Linda demanded the producers give Austin back his wallet and mobile phone and I don’t think they ever seriously tried to live within the budget.

“They hardly cooked for themselves and kept buying fish and chips, which we can only afford once in a while.

“One night when they did cook, they hosted a lavish dinner for about ten of us from the estate, with home-made fish pie, red and white wine and Bacardi. The pudding was fruit with crème fraiche, which I’d never had before.

“When I asked Linda what happened to the budget, she swept her hand over the table and said, “Here’s the budget””

The four-part series suggests the Mitchells furnish their second-floor flat from a Salvation Army shop, but the Mr Mitchell admitted that a table and chairs were borrowed from friends and a mattress was bought new by the production company.

Former TV journalist Mr Mitchell said last night that he had never agreed to abide by the producers’ restrictions, as they were ‘silly’.  He said:

“I’m 75, so walking around in a hoodie makes me look completely ridiculous; that’s not how pensioners dress on Orchard Park or any estate,”

“Linda and I agreed to take part on our own terms. I don’t know how much we spent during the week but it was a damn sight more than the £100 the production company gave us – and we weren’t given a fee for doing the programme.

“We had a nice dinner party and wanted to introduce our neighbours on the estate to Grimsby fish pie, which they’d never had before.”

“It was up to the MPs whether they wanted to live by the letter and spirit of the rules – and they were not aware that they would be asked to do this until their host residents challenged them to do so.

A Channel 4 spokesman said:

“The flat in Hull was provided part- furnished and more came from the Salvation Army. Austin and Linda asked for a new mattress, so the production team provided one. They also borrowed furniture from friends.”