A Kent MP has today been named Westminster pin-up of the year by the Taxpayers' Alliance.

Mark Reckless, the Coneservative MP for Rochester and Strood, scooped the title in a public vote.

He was nominated for having successfully tabled the amendment to a Parliamentary motion that saw the House of Commons demand a cut in the European Union Budget.

Mr Reckless won after securing 36.3% of votes in the four-way contest.

Meanwhile, energy and climate change Secretary Ed Davey has been named pinhead of the year.

He was nominated for having increased the staff headcount at his department every quarter over the last year - rather than helping to reduce the burden on taxpayers by decreasing the size of the public sector.

Jonathan Isaby, political director of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "The Taxpayers' Alliance has always believed that as well as making examples of those who have shown a disregard for public money, it is important to recognise those who have sought to do the right thing by taxpayers.

"Taxpayers have never been angrier about the way the European Union continues to squander our money, and they won't countenance anything but a cut in the EU Budget when national leaders come to an agreement in the New Year.

"So Mark Reckless MP makes a worthy pin-up for having forced a vote on the issue on the floor of the House of Commons which allowed his fellow MPs to demonstrate how strongly people feel about the matter.

"The fact that Mr Reckless was able to prove that a majority of MPs support a cut in the EU Budget should in fact bolster the Prime Minister's negotiating position in Europe because it is now clear that even a freeze in the EU Budget - let alone a rise - could not be carried in the House of Commons."