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Switchback Hoon built £1.7m property empire off expenses
Joe Murphy8 May 2009
Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon built up a £1.7 million property empire with the help of the expenses system.
The secret files disclose that he switched around his designated "second home" in a way that opened him to accusations of milking the system.
As Defence Secretary until 2006, he lived free in London in a grace-and-favour ministerial apartment in Admiralty House and rented out a London flat he owned. At this time he declared his Derbyshire constituency address was his second home and claimed expenses on its running costs.
In 2004/05, he claimed £20,902 for it, with thousands spent on renovations and refurbishments on a property now estimated to be worth more than £600,000,
When he lost his free apartment in 2006, he bought a new Georgian townhouse in London and changed his declaration to say that was his second home. That allowed him to claim for money spent on the new property - £21,995 in 2006/07 and £23,083 in 2007/8 - the maximum allowed.
Among his claims was £1,199 for an LCD TV in 2005. The fees office said they would pay no more than £750 towards it. He paid £500 for new flooring, bought a wardrobe, lighting, a washing machine, and furniture. He bought a second TV for £449 and claimed £800 for cleaning curtains and carpets. His monthly mortgage payments, picked up by the taxpayer, rose from £270 to almost £900.
Mr Hoon's wife also reportedly bought a holiday cottage in Walberswick on the Suffolk coast giving the family a property portfolio worth £1.7 million.
In a statement, Mr Hoon said that although he paid no rent on his Admiralty House flat, he still had high costs for living in two places.
"I was told by the fees office that this was entirely within the rules," he said.
Reader views (6)
Reuben, I share your disgust at these corrupt MPs, but come on mate, 6 million people are NOT "starving to death" in the UK.
- Danny, London, 08/05/2009 16:09
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Geoffrey Hoon (look the name 'hoon' up on Wiki) has allegedly built up a 1.5M property empire with his manipulation (allegedly) of MP expenses.
At the same time he has announced his support for the compulsory demolition of English communities - Sipson, Harlibgton, Harmondsworth - for the third runway at Heathrow, at the (allegedly) connivance with his 'masters' Spanish property development company Ferrovial owners of BAA.
The mind boggles. But Hoon's insensitivity was clearly demonstrated his complete contempt of residents of those villages and the 2 million in London who will suffer increased aircraft noise and pollution from the Third Runway. His unsympathetic attitude as previous Minister of Armed Forces towards our soldiers who have been injured in the illegal war in Iraq will be remembered by many.
His attitude to the British tax-paying public is more more than just sleeze. It is blatant and offensive bevaviour that unfortunately is all too typical of this New Labour Government.
I am sure millions of residents will await with interest press releases from Plane Stupid, HACAN and NotRag.
Very angry constituent of Harlington.
- C.J.Brady, London, UK, 08/05/2009 15:41
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I have had a belly full of these snivelling, grotesque, money-grabbing moron MP's and their bloated expenses claims.
Meanwhile, over 6,000,000 children and pensioners in the UK are starving to death and cannot afford to heat their homes (if they are lucky enough to still have a home).
RIGHT! All that is needed is 40,000,000 peeps to march on London and let's see if a General Election cannot be called.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe UK, 08/05/2009 14:59
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Surely as taxpayers we should have a slice of the profits from this portfolio,we have paid for it.
Also as a good socialist he should share out his wealth,he is part of the cabal which seems to want more and more of mine....
- Grumpy As Hell, wimbledon, 08/05/2009 14:12
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When MPs have to declare their income and time spent on second jobs will this include Property developers?
- David Burns, Beckenham, 08/05/2009 13:01
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I wonder whether, when strutting around in Iraq with soldiers whose families had to buy them decent boots because the issued kit was so poor, Mr Hoon ever thought that taxpayers money should be directed towards something other than his own economic betterment. Or was his sense of self-importance so great that it literally never occured to him?
- Sikkovvitt, London, UK, 08/05/2009 12:57
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