Cllr Christopher Harris has had the Conservative whip withdrawn from him on Barnet Council after he moved to Australia. Council byelections are a considerable expense and inconvenience (although given the elections are next May if he resigned now I am not sure one would be needed.) But the point that the press have focused on is that he is still claiming his allowance.
He response in the press to criticism is that of a stage villain shaking his fist. His £800 a month is a "piffling amount" so he will go on banking it. He says: "I don't see there is any problem. I don't see why I am not allowed to have an extended holiday." How long he would be away is undecided. "I don't think we will come straight back as I hear the weather's getting colder in Britain." But his point that much of a councillor's work is done via email is true.