John Bercow took a £1,000 taxi from Westminster to Nottingham and back during a spending spree in his last few months as Speaker.

Mr Bercow made the trip to deliver a speech at Nottingham Trent University about how Parliament should respond to the 'anti-politics age'.

Aides said he was advised to take a taxi due to 'heightened security concerns'. But critics said Mr Bercow's costs defied 'common sense'.

Details of the Speaker's official expenses obtained by MailOnline under FOI rules show that a 'farewell tour' of trips by Mr Bercow included a £7,000 visit to the US in May - where he gave a speech insisting MPs could still block No Deal Brexit.

Some £1,400 went on a single dinner with fellow presiding officers from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

He also splurged more than £12,000 on retirement parties for four senior Commons staff who had worked with him.

Details obtained by MailOnline under FOI rules show official spending by John Bercow (pictured delivering his alternative Christmas message) during his final months as Speaker

Mr Bercow finally ended left Parliament on October 31 last year after a controversial decade in the chair

Mr Bercow billed the public purse for part of his travel to the Edinburgh festival, where he was appearing at a fringe event.

The lavish spending last year, before he stepped down, was revealed in material disclosed by the Commons authorities under freedom of information rules.

Mr Bercow finally ended left Parliament on October 31 last year after a controversial decade in the chair - and has since launched what is thought to be a lucrative career on the after-dinner speaking circuit.

John Bercow's costs in his last year as Speaker Dinner with 'Quadrilateral' of UK presiding officers - £1,406 Drinks bill for MPs who help out with overseeing Parliamentary debates - £234 'Retirement' party for Speaker's Chaplain Rose Hudson-Wilkin - £3,168 Return taxi trip from Westminster to Nottingham for speech - £1,003 Flights to the US for a visit to to Washington, Virginia and Boston for Mr Bercow and an aide - £6.800 Heathrow Express tickets to get to the Edinburgh Festival for an interview - £74 Sky subscription for Speaker's House - up to £118 a month Advertisement

When he took on the Speakership in June 2009, he pledged that he would only serve nine years.

However, Mr Bercow then insisted he would stay on to oversee the Brexit process - despite fury from ministers and Tory MPs that he was biased towards Remainers.

In January, the Speaker used his official expenses to fund a £563.48 lunch for his presiding officer counterparts from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A dinner for the group's regular meeting - known as the 'Quadrilateral' came in at an eye-watering £1,406.

Also in January, Mr Bercow used his official account to settle a £234 drinks bill at a reception for the Panel of Chairs - MPs who help him out with overseeing Parliamentary debates.

A Commons spokeswoman said: 'In line with long established practice, the Speaker's Office funds the drinks and the pre-dinner reception for the Panel of Chairs dinner.'

A retirement party for the Commons 'Invitations Secretary' in February was £2,376, and in March, £3,187 went on an equivalent event for the Clerk of the House, David Natzler.

In May the Speaker's official account spent £3,696 on giving the Principal Clerk of the Table Office a send-off.

And just days before Mr Bercow himself stood down, there was an invoice of £3,168 for a 'retirement' party for his close ally, Speaker's Chaplain Rose Hudson-Wilkin - although she has been appointed Bishop of Dover rather than retiring.

A Commons spokeswoman said: 'The Speaker's Office has funded retirement receptions for senior staff many times in the past.'

Mr Bercow went to Nottingham Trent University to give a speech to the Political Studies Association in April, as the Brexit wrangling raged in the Commons.

An off-peak return train ticket from London to the city costs around £67.

However, the Speaker opted to take a taxi there and back, with the fare including VAT coming in at £1,003.50, according to his office.

Mr Bercow and wife Sally (pictured together in September) lived with their children in the Speaker's House residence at Parliament

A Commons spokeswoman said: 'Due to heightened security concerns for the safety of MPs, Mr Bercow was advised it was safer for him to travel to the University of Nottingham by taxi, rather than by train.'

A rental car overnight typically costs up to £200.

Mr Bercow cut back dramatically on his use of chauffeur-driven cars after it emerged in 2015 that a trip to a conference just 0.7 miles from the Commons cost the taxpayer £172.

Flights to the US for a visit to to Washington, Virginia and Boston in May were £6.800 for Mr Bercow and an aide.

Return Heathrow Express tickets were £148, and two hotel rooms in Washington left a bill for £356.

According to the MPs' register of interests, a £554 helicopter trip other hotel accommodation and meals worth £287 were covered by donors in the US.

Mr Bercow returned to the US for another official visit in September, but no details of costs appear on the FOI disclosure.

There was a £2,600 bill for a trip to Brest in France in September for a G7 Speaker's Conference - including more than £1,400 on hotel rooms for Mr Bercow and an aide for two nights.

Mr Bercow expensed £74 on Heathrow Express tickets to get to the Edinburgh Festival in August, where he gave an interview at a fringe event that was billed as focusing on his 'turbulent decade in British political life (not least Brexit)'.

According to the MPs' register, Saltn'Sauce productions picked up a £1,170.73 tab for his hotel accommodation, travel and hospitality.

The Commons spokeswoman said: 'Mr Bercow was invited to give a speech about his role as Speaker and the work of Parliament.

'It is normal practice for the office to cover the Speaker's transport costs to and from an airport.'

The FOI disclosure also confirms that Arsenal and tennis-mad Mr Bercow kept claiming up to £118.50 for a Sky subscription - including the sports package - at his opulent grace-and-favour apartment at Parliament.

The Commons spokeswoman said: 'On becoming Speaker, Mr Bercow inherited two Sky subscriptions for the Speaker's Residence both of which were paid for by the House. Mr Bercow made the decision to retain one subscription.'

James Roberts, Political Director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'Frittering taxpayers' funds on his farewell tour is a sad end for a Speaker who came in committing to clean up parliamentary expenses.

'Like so many public officials, a common sense approach to keeping down travel costs and entertainment expenses became a tall order for this spendthrift former Speaker.'