MP Austin Mitchell samples tower block life

AUSTIN Mitchell was thrust right back into the spotlight on Monday night in a Channel 4 documentary that saw a group of MPs swap their tailored suits, slap-up meals and the House of Commons for tracksuits and mould-ridden bathrooms in some of the UK's worst tower block flats.

Austin, who last week announced he had paid back £10,000 in mistakenly-claimed expenses on his second home mortgage, only agreed to take part in Tower Block Of Commons if he could have his own flat and take wife, Linda – recently diagnosed with breast cancer – with him.

The other MPs stayed in the homes of selected tower block residents and lived exactly as they would.

Austin is being mentored by 29-year-old recovering heroin addict Selina, who lives in the same block on Hull's Orchard Park estate as the Mitchells' home for the four-part series.

During the first programme of the series, he experienced the inside of the estate's methadone dispensary during a trip out to buy the Daily Telegraph – and discovered his wife had been addicted to benzodiazepines when she was a young mother in her 30s.

Mr Mitchell, a 75-year-old Labour veteran who has represented Grimsby for 32 years, said it was a pleasure to get to know the people of Orchard Park.

HERE is a selection of your comments on the show:

AFTER watching Tower Block Of Commons on Channel 4 last night, I felt I must comment on the attempt by Mr and Mrs Austin Mitchell to convince their electorate they are in touch with reality.

What a joke! They couldn't even cook a meal. First they couldn't fetch their own takeaway and then they were invited out for a posh evening meal.

All Mr Mitchell was interested in was getting his copy of The Telegraph. Why didn't he read the Daily Sport or Mirror like the rest of Orchard Park?

To add insult to injury, they were not satisfied with the free furniture provided to the common tenants, but went out to get new, no doubt at further expense to the taxpayer?

If this was an attempt by the Government to deflect the public from the MPs expenses scandal, it went badly wrong. I hope the people of Grimsby saw through it, not to mention the residents of Orchard Park, Hull.

David Bartlett, North Ferriby. Also an ex-resident of Orchard Park Estate in the 60s

I THINK they came over as concerned people. Austin has campaigned for years for council tenants and the need for more council houses.

Demos, Grimsby

SURPRISE, suprise – Orchard Park means more to our MP than the West Marsh.

Pete, Grimsby

MITCHELL seemed to have no idea what happens in the real world. Hull has the same problems as Grimsby, so I would assume from this programme Mitchell has never interacted with local people and does not realise drugs are rife and lots of people live in appalling conditions.

Did he actually complete any of the challenges anyway? I'm guessing not.

Lesley, Clee

HE looked puzzled at the methadone treatment ... I had no idea ... he stuttered ... and then asked where his Telegraph was!

And this from a bloke who crows about his support and concern for the people of Grimsby? A town that is racked with heroin and other serious drug addiction.

Well, I for one wasn't surprised to see how false and out of touch he is. Thinly disguised disgust was evident on his face when he was "interacting" with the people he was with on the programme.

He couldn't get away fast enough could he?

Liza, Outathere