Smith faces new attacks over her 'second home' expenses claims

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Her local town hall in Worcestershire revealed that her constituency home is not treated as a second home for council tax purposes - although the Home Secretary had declared it as a second home for the payment of the Commons housing allowance.

The apparent contradiction was immediately seized on by Tory MP Ben Wallace, who alleged it implied an "abuse of the expenses system".

The Home Secretary is being investigated by Parliament's sleazebuster after claiming that her main home is a house that she shares with her sister in south-east London.

She has claimed nearly £140,000 in second home allowance including an estimated £84,000 on the house in Worcestershire which she and her family moved into five years ago.

However, Redditch borough council said: "Jacqui Smith has not benefited from a 'second home' council tax discount. The charge has been calculated on the basis of there being two adult residents."

Mr Wallace claims this "calls into question the Home Secretary's claims that her main full-time residence is her sister's spare bedroom".

However, Ms Smith rejected the accusation, with an aide stressing that neither she nor her sister had claimed a council tax rebate.

A source close to Ms Smith said today: "This attack is absurd. She is being attacked for not claiming a discount."