Brown vows: No blackout on future expenses

The Prime Minister said he would include reforms in legislation to change the entire system of taxpayer-funded allowances.

It came as Downing Street defended Mr Brown's claim of £500 for painting the garden summer house of his constituency home.

In what appeared to be a race to improve their public images, both Mr Brown and Tory leader David Cameron said the current system of blacking out details of rejected claims and items could not survive.

Speaking at the EU summit in Brussels, Mr Brown said: "The redacted expenses were part of the old system. That cannot be the new system. The old system is being swept aside by the changes that we are making. A new, far more transparent system is being introduced. While ensuring that security issues are addressed, as they have to be, our first concern must be maximum transparency."

Mr Brown said that legislation, including a new independent auditor for expenses, would also include new rules to allow the public to see as much detail as possible. Earlier today a spokesman for Mr Brown had said that the claim for painting works at his house in North Queensferry, Fife, was legitimate and made in good faith to maintain the property's upkeep. The spokesman said he used the summerhouse for working.

The Telegraph claimed details of the expenditure would have been blacked out - only referring to the "paint and painting", the cost and date. Mr Brown made the claim in April last year so it is not part of the million-plus documents published yesterday but was allegedly shaded to show it would have been partially redacted.

The No 10 spokesman said this could not be assumed as the receipts were yet to be published.

The premier's pledge came before Mr Cameron announced his own plans for his frontbenchers' claims for 2008-9 to be published without many of the redactions that have triggered public ridicule this week.

The first three letters of MPs' postcodes should be made available and the only information blacked out should be directly related to security.

Mr Cameron said: "After discussions with me, Shadow Leader of the House Alan Duncan will do all he can to push the House of Commons Commission to bring forward the publication of the 08-09 expenses in an uncensored form.

"Only strictly private information - for example phone numbers, bank details and information with legitimate security concerns - should be redacted.

"My shadow Cabinet are already publishing their current expense claims online. I have today asked them to include all significant correspondence and receipts."

The candidates for Speaker were expected to underline their own commitment to reform.