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Dozens of MPs have written to Parliament's new expenses watchdog protesting at plans to scale back their claims.
Several MPs complained at suggestions they should give up their right to taxpayer-funded first-class rail travel, while others said they should not be banned from employing family members as parliamentary assistants or lose farewell payments of up to £65,000 when they stand down.
Senior Conservative backbencher Sir John Stanley even suggested it might be contempt of Parliament to require him to commute to Westminster from his Kent constituency rather than claim for a second home.
The Tonbridge and Malling MP revealed he had taken advice from Clerk of the Commons Sir Malcolm Jack over whether Sir Christopher Kelly's proposal to withhold second home expenses from MPs within a "reasonable commuting distance" might amount to contempt by obstructing members in the discharge of their duty.
Some 43 individual MPs responded to a consultation by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, which is aiming to introduce a reformed expenses regime in time for the arrival of a new Parliament following this year's general election.
Many of them protested that proposals on the table risked turning the House of Commons into the preserve of those with independent means.
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And several, including Labour's Derek Wyatt (Sittingbourne and Sheppey), suggested that the allowance system should be scrapped altogether in return for a pay rise for MPs of up to £35,000.
Mr Wyatt said the expenses "fiasco" arose because "no prime minister from Edward Heath onwards has had the balls to pay MPs a decent salary". In some parts of London, primary school headteachers were earning more than MPs, he complained.
"All MPs need is a decent salary and no allowances," said Mr Wyatt, suggesting a rise from the current £65,000 to £100,000 for MPs from constituencies outside London and £76,000 for those from the capital.
Tory deputy chief whip Andrew Robathan said "a proportionate amount" should be added to MPs' salary to pay for a second home. Ipsa's approach was "unlikely to lead to a restoration of trust in Parliament" and would increase the cost of politics, warned the Blaby MP.
