Now Labour MPs are accused of fiddling expenses to buy art

Labour MPs were last night accused of a new Commons expenses fiddle – by using their second-homes allowance twice to buy furniture and even art works.

Conservative MP Stephen Hammond claimed Labour MPs buy items for their second homes in London on expenses, transfer them to their main constituency home – then use the allowance to buy another set for their London home.

He also claimed some MPs secretly share houses while both claiming the £22,000-a-year second-home handout, officially known as the additional costs allowance (ACA).

The claims by Wimbledon MP Mr Hammond caused deep anger among Labour MPs last night who accused him of a "smear".

Mr Hammond is among a group of Tory MPs who have called for new laws to make it easier for local voters to sack MPs caught fiddling their expenses.

He said it was absurd that MPs had been allowed to buy household goods for their London homes up to the value of £250 and not have to account for them.

"Another loophole, often made use of by Labour MPs, is to buy a piece of furniture or artwork for a London residence and then decide it might look better in their main home," he writes today in an article for The Mail on Sunday website.

"And so it is transferred and a replacement bought. Again, all very much allowable under the rules."

There were a number of other ways of making money from the ACA, said Mr Hammond.

"One MP claimed the allowance for a property in North London and a main residence in Northumberland, yet represented a constituency in West London. This type of abuse is widespread.

"The next surprise is that MPs often share properties and submit separate allowance claims."

Mr Hammond said there was no need for MPs with constituencies near Westminster to have a second-home allowance.

He added: "A well known Left-wing MP who represents a seat in the East End claims for a constituency flat and his main home in Essex."

The Mail on Sunday has established that this is Leyton MP Harry Cohen, whose family home is in Colchester. Mr Cohen defended his £22,000 second-home claim, stating: "I have always thought of it as part of my salary. I am a full-time MP."

Labour MP Kevan Jones called on Mr Hammond to "put up or shut up" by naming any MPs who had bought art works. "Smear tactics like this do not help politics," he said.

Tory leader David Cameron told a Party gathering yesterday that he would clean up expenses fiddles if he became Prime Minister.

"We must have no more MPs voting on their own pay, no more cushy final-salary pensions scheme and a clear declaration of expenses and allowances," he said.