MPs ignore public anger and vote to keep getting furniture on the taxpayer

Shameless MPs ignored public outrage last night by voting to continue buying TVs, fridges and other household goods using taxpayers' money.

Tory plans to prevent MPs kitting out their second homes using their lavish Commons expenses were blocked by Gordon Brown.

Instead, MPs supported the Prime Minister's hastily cobbled-together proposal to merely limit the amount they could claim for furniture and household goods to £2,400 a year - ten per cent of their total £24,000 Additional Costs Allowance.

The remaining £21,600 would be for other second homes living costs, including mortgage interest payments, rent, council tax, utility bills and food.

Mr Brown agreed to scrap the controversial 'John Lewis list', which sets out how much MPs can claim for fittings and fixtures based on prices at the department store.

But shadow Commons leader Theresa May accused the Government of replacing it with an 'Ikea list'.

Matthew Elliott, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: 'At best, these proposals are a halfhearted attempt at solving the issue, at worst they are a sham.

'Taxpayers are fundamentally unhappy with MPs spending our money on furniture and TVs, and whilst a £2,400 limit is an improvement, it is still £2,400 too much.'

Late on Tuesday night, the Tories announced their Opposition Day debate would focus on proposals to stop MPs using their expenses to pay for sofas, plasma TVs and fridges.

But under mounting pressure from the Tories, the Government yesterday rushed out their own plans to reform expenses.

As well as outlining the £2,400 cap, Commons leader Harriet Harman said the 'John Lewis list' would be replaced with a list of items that the National Audit Office believed was acceptable expenditure.

However, critics pointed out that Labour's reforms would not see MPs' expenses individually by the spending watchdog. This would continue to be done by Parliament's Fees Office.

The Government's proposals gave MPs a second chance to curb their expenses after they sparked outrage earlier this month by rejecting reforms.

The Prime Minister was humiliated when the Commons threw out a shake-up of allowances.

In yesterday's expenses debate, Mrs May said: 'There is a very real difference between abolishing the John Lewis and replacing it with the Ikea list and actually getting rid of the right to claim for TVs and fridges on the taxpayer.'

But the Tory motion to exclude household goods from the ACA was rejected by 295 to 238. It means the Government's proposals will now go out to consultation.