Labour MP CANCELS China trip... because officials wouldn't pay for BUSINESS CLASS upgrade
A LABOUR MP pulled out of a parliamentary trip to China because he didn't want to fly economy class.
Danczuk reportedly refused to fly economy class
Simon Danczuk was part of a group of four politicians set to travel to East Asia on a research mission.
But when he discovered the representatives would be travelling in economy class he pulled out of the tour.
The trip was intended as a fact-finding mission
MPs belonging to different parties are pressured to travel in pairs to lessen reduce the impact on votes in parliament.
Conservative MP Richard Graham, the chair of the all-party group for China which organised the trip, said the upgrade could not be covered by the group but MPs can pay themselves.
Richard Graham chairs the group that organised the trip
If members want to upgrade to business class at their own costs, they are welcome to do so
He said: "We always spell out from the beginning what class of travel will be funded by the APPCG.
"If members want to upgrade to business class at their own costs, they are welcome to do so."
An alleged leaked email sent by the Conservative MP's office suggested that news of Mr Danczuk's cancellation may end up in the papers.
Mr Danczuk - who reportedly suffers from a bad back - said: "I'm disappointed that Richard Graham MP felt he should threaten me with going to the press about this and then has done so.
"After he learnt of my health condition I would have hoped he would have been more sympathetic."
Mr Graham declined to comment when contacted by the Telegraph.
The MP (not pictured) reportedly has a bad back and could not sit upright for 11 hours