Afternoon:
9°c
Tory admits spending too much on night at hotel and furniture for home
Paul Waugh11 May 2009
Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove today apologised for charging the taxpayer £500 for a one-night stay for his family at a hotel and his spending on furniture.
But Mr Gove rejected the charge that he had "flipped" his home designation to exploit the expenses system and made a staunch defence of his right to spend more time with his family.
The Surrey Heath MP claimed for more than £7,000 on a semi-detached home in North Kensington, near David Cameron's house. Among the items were a £750 Loire table and a birch Camargue chair worth £432. His claim for a £34.99 foam cot mattress was rejected by the Commons authorities.
Mr Gove then switched his "second home" allowance to a new home bought near Guildford in his constituency. Between his house moves, he claimed £500 for one night's stay at Pennyhill Park Hotel and Spa.
Mr Gove said he was sorry if the public felt there had been "extravagance" in purchases for his London home. "I do believe that there were one or two occasions where I spent more money than I should have done," he said. "People are right to be angry about the current system. The whole system is rotten. I played a part in it and for that I apologise. I am sorry."
Mr Gove said he had tried commuting from Guildford but decided it was more effective for him to have an extra home in London for late-night meetings. He accepted many of his constituents were commuters and would make their own judgments as to whether the cost to the taxpayer was worth it.
But he denied that he "flipped" the designation of his second home. "I did not flip, I moved my family - I did not profit at the taxpayers' expense, I have been honest," he said. "The charge of flipping against me is completely wrong. All that I did was move my family from Surrey to London. Your principle home is where you spend the majority of nights, it would have been dishonest not to change the designation."
Reader views (8)
Mr Gove is an ex-journalist and journalists are famous for fiddling their expenses. The worst aspect of this is the attitude of a potential Minister to Taxpayer's money. Next time a Tory spouts about cutting waste in Government spending shout Humbug!!!
- Jjones, Ruislip England, 12/05/2009 12:21
Report abuse
I have held, and still hold, the view that Michael Gove is basically an honest and honourable man. In the current "lynch 'em all" atmosphere, in which I share a certain ethusiasm, his explanations may not be listened to, but it would be a great shame if people like him were driven from public life. He is developing an excellent policy on schools which, heaven knows, the country badly needs. We should concentrate on the bigger offenders in all parties.
- James Elliott, Eastbourne UK, 11/05/2009 22:15
Report abuse
Of all the MPs to have a go at, Michael Gove is the wrong target - he is a truly honourable man and has always asked for transparency on expenses, even when it wasn't fashionable.
Plent of MPs from all parties have taken the mickey, but he's not one of them.
- Carla, London, 11/05/2009 17:44
Report abuse
They are all representatives of constituents so they can well represent them from their own homes without the need to be in the Commons every day.They could even vote by telephone. How do they find the time to do their second jobs.
T H Leeds
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK, 11/05/2009 17:13
Report abuse
No, I was misled as to what I could charge. Everybody else was doing it, so why not me?
No, it does not wash. You may not have been the worst offender, but you still offended and should lose all benefits accrued in the form of pension and no terminal payoff.
- Hugh, Middx, 11/05/2009 16:39
Report abuse
Interesting to know how a Loire table or Camargue chair are necessary for one's work as an MP but what the heck,the tax payer is paying.Bang in the claim.
- Peter Doff, york UK, 11/05/2009 15:00
Report abuse
They're all frighfully sorry - so they should pay it all back, eh? They've got a year to do it in before a 100 of them get the chop. As they have no skills other than creative expense accounting, they're all unemployable. Sad, isn't it?
- John Problem, Hackney Wick, London, UK, 11/05/2009 14:58
Report abuse
I do sympathise with Mr Gove's decision not to commute from Guildford. However, it was his decision.Furnishing his home in Kensington is also up to him. Then he can spend as he wishes on cot mattresses and rather elegant sounding chairs.
- Ladywholunches, London, 11/05/2009 14:56
Report abuse
