Morning:
8°c
Darling's four 'second homes'
Nicholas Cecil8 May 2009
Chancellor Alistair Darling changed his "second home" four times while claiming tens of thousands of pounds in housing expenses.
MPs can bill the taxpayer for just over £24,000 a year to fund a "second home". Mr Darling originally declared his main residence as a small flat in Lambeth which he shared with Labour MP Lewis Moonie - who was later ennobled and is now one of the peers under investigation over claims of being willing to accept payments to facilitate changes in legislation.
Mr Darling rented a room from Lord Moonie and was able to claim the second home allowance on his Edinburgh constituency family property. But, in September 2005, he told the Commons authorities that his Edinburgh house was his main home and used the second home allowance to meet the costs of a flat near the Oval cricket ground. These included £2,260 on stamp duty; £1,238 for legal fees; £2,074 for furniture, including a £768 bed from M&S and purchases totalling £765 from Ikea; and £2,339 on carpeting.
After being made Chancellor, he initially claimed No11 Downing Street as his "second home" but then changed it again to be his Edinburgh property, while also renting out his London flat. Mr Darling said: "The claims were made within House of Commons rules."
Reader views (6)
This is the man who stood up and said the country is a bit down at the moment.
Why cant all the MP's live in one area old MOD houses, it would save on ripping the normal tax-payer off, and of course the protection costs would not be so high.
I think all the newspapers shold have written across there front pages the following:
" BECOME AN MP AND GET RICH, RIP OFF THE NATION, AND LOOK LIKE YOU ARE WORKING HARD"
England must be the only country that will stand for all this rubbish,
It is pityful:
Just think when they come to change the rules the MP'S will have to vote it in, there is no way they are going to vote in something which will loss them money.
MP'S = BLOODSUCKERS
- Rgj Durch, GERMANY, 12/05/2009 17:54
Report abuse
So we are not only paying for their grace & favour homes, we are also paying for the 2nd and 3rd and 4th homes, and their cleaning bills for theur many other homes, as well as their golden pension, for which they qualify after only 5 years of service!
They should pay back the money, plus any jail term for defrauding and lose their PENSION!!!
- Sam J, London, 11/05/2009 02:33
Report abuse
So, I am paying not just my own council tax I am paying it for these charlatans as well. We should have an immediate police investigation into fraud.
- J Bell, Nottm, UK, 08/05/2009 17:25
Report abuse
If only he were as smart about the economy as he is with his personal expenses. And if only Gordon could clean up the City like he does his home. And if only the Cabinet members could keep our country in as good order as they do their gardens. And what about a chocolate Father Christmas for all qualifying taxpayers? Can I get a bath plug on benefits? Or an oven glove? Or a pack of catfood - I've got a cat. I guess not. Well, back to figuring out what to spend my old age pension on - it's a colossal £90 a week - for everything, and not even as much as a politician's weekly subsistence allowance. But I don't care, I'm proud to live in the land of the mother of all parliaments......
- John Problem, Hackney Wick, London, UK, 08/05/2009 15:53
Report abuse
Sick to the pit of my stomach at the hypocrisy of those who are supposed to be standing in the 'best-British-interest'
- Marianne (Uk National And Tax-Payer), SW France/London, 08/05/2009 13:53
Report abuse
Surely officail addresses like numbers 10,11 and 12 downing street should be exempt from the 2nd home rule.
And even chequers ets given these are official residences and in the case of Downing Street they are just offices that have a flat upstairs.
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 08/05/2009 12:34
Report abuse
