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Senior Tories used expenses to fund country estates
Paul Waugh12.05.09
David Cameron risked a war with his party's grandees today as he prepared to discipline MPs who used taxpayers cash to subsidise their country estates.
The Tory leader held emergency meeting in his Commons office to discuss “swift” action against those who used the expenses system to maintain swimming pools and manor houses.
As he left home this morning, Mr Cameron said: “I am angry about what happened. It is out of order. Some of it is abuse of taxpayers' money and I am going to deal with it.”
It emerged today that veteran Tories have claimed tens of thousands of pounds on things like clearing a moat, hanging a chandelier and paying for a full-time housekeeper.
Mr Cameron is being urged by some colleagues to withdraw the whip from those MPs he believes have brought the Tory party and Parliament into disrepute.
Another option is to force all of those involved to repay immediately any bills which are questionable.
Senior sources told the London Evening Standard today that Mr Cameron feels the latest revelations are “of a different scale” from errors made by his Shadow Cabinet over expenses.
“David is taking personal charge of this. He's angry and appalled”
The Conservative leader believes that colleagues such as Michael Gove and Andrew Lansley have legitimate explanations for their claims or that their mistakes were minor.
Mr Cameron cleared his diary as he met the Tory chief whip and other senior officials to look at each case where backbenchers have made expense claims that embarrass the party.
The Daily Telegraph today revealed a string of claims which show the Commons authorities have allowed taxpayers' cash to subsidise the lavish lifestyles of Conservative “squirearchy”, including:
* James Arbuthnot, the Conservative chairman of the defence select committee, who submitted receipts for the upkeep of his swimming pool. He announced that he will be repaying the money.
* Douglas Hogg, the former agriculture secretary and a Viscount, submitted a claim form including more than £2,000 for the moat around his country estate to be cleared. The taxpayer also helped meet the cost of a full-time housekeeper, including her car. The public finances also helped pay for work to Mr Hogg's stables and for his piano to be tuned.
* Stewart Jackson, a shadow minister, billed the taxpayer for more than £11,000 in professional fees when buying a new home in Peterborough within a year of being elected to Parliament. He claimed more than £300 for work on a swimming pool and hundreds more for work to a “summer room”. Last night he agreed to repay the money claimed for the swimming pool.
* Michael Ancram, who is the Marquess of Lothian, claimed more than £14,000 a year in expenses while owning three properties, none of which have a mortgage and are worth an estimated £8 million.
* Sir Michael Spicer, the chairman of the backbench 1922 committee, claimed £5,650 in nine months for his garden to be maintained. In December 2006, he submitted a detailed invoice which included “hedge cutting ... helipad”, although he claimed last night that the “helipad” was a “family joke”.
In a rare move, Mr Cameron was also meeting lawyers to assess what action was open to him.
Former Conservative chairman Lord Tebbit today said Mr Cameron had to act. “He's going to have to discipline some of them,” the peer said.
Aides pointed out that Mr Cameron has in the past been quick to withdraw the whip from MPs such as Derek Conway, Andrew Pelling and Bob Spink.
But if he singles out some backbenchers for action rather than others, the 1922 Committee may cry foul, pointing out that the Commons has approved the expenses.
Reader views (24)
David Cameron has NO POWER to sack an MP!
While withdrawing the whip just makes them into Independent MPs who are free to claim what they want with no allegience a party.
Dave its the system stupid!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
When we find the mole, we should thank him publically, maybe make him an honarary MP, and even give him a knighthood. He/she has done this country a great service in exposing this ghastly affair. In many ways, this mole is deserving of a medal to acknowledge his/her services to the country. They would have carried on pilfering for years to come if this person had not put this issue in the public domain. Thank you Mole. I have always voted Labour...for the first time in my life, I have to think of who else I should vote for. As they are all corrupt, I have to spoil my vote.
- Maya, London
I find it hard to fathom the thinking of the likes of Mr Clegg who feel that by sacking a few Tories, Cameron will show a clear divide between his party and the supposedly sleazy government.
Sadly there is no difference between the parties - they are both sleazy and both beyond redemption.
I yearn for the days when we had ideological politicians like Tony Benn and Keith Joseph, because then you knew you were voting for someone who wanted, however misguided, to bring about change.
The only change you bring about now when you vote, is to change a parasites car from a Volvo to a Bentley.
I urge everybody to spoil their ballot papers at the next elections - let them work out how to be represented in Europe after that. Don't give a protest vote to UKIP or BNP, becasue they are even more despicable than the main parties.
- Barry Chapman, Welwyn England
I'm watching this with great interest from across the pond. I'm a Brit, worked and saved all my life and now after destroying the economy, the government are stuffing the taxpayer even more - sack those who cashed in. If this had been a couple of hundred years ago, there would be a revolt and many beheadings.
- Bob Johnstone, Manhattan USA
The level of greed shown here is such that it would be more helpful to the electorate to publish a list of MPs who have not tried to get everything they can from the system. Then we would know who is actually working for their constituents - how refreshing it would be to have the front benches filled with our honest public servants who are typically hidden from view by those who have pushed their way to the front of the trough.
- Tracy, London
This is typical Cameron, a sound bite on the News showing how angry he is, in response to public reaction, and then you can guarantee nothing will happen. He did nothing when it was revealed that the Winterton's were purposely claiming a rent allowance for a house where they had already paid the mortgage off, or possibly the Taxpayer had paid the mortgage off.
- J Barker, Pinner England
This tells us exactly what most politicians are made of.
I saw Alan Duncan on the "Have I got news for you" show, boast about all the economic priveliges he gets from being a politician. Is that the kind of person you want to hand your destiny to?
My family had to emigrate in the early 1980's because of the Thatcher government. My father was made redundant and rather than claim benefits, decided to move to his home country Italy, which at the time had a flourishing economy (only to be ripped to shreads by the then Italian-mafia-connected politicians like Craxi, Andreotti, D'Alema).
We need an honest, well respected person who will show his decency not only to the tv cameras, but by results and commitment to his job.
We need an Obama, a real one. Not just someone who is using his speeches and tactics in a desperate attempt to gain voters confidence.
- Marco Marboni, Kettering
We need to "flush out" all guilty MPs and insist that they repay every penny to the public purse. Thankfully the Telegraph are publishing the full list of expenses and not the MPs "edited version. Jacqui Smith's husband has done us one huge favour by claiming for his porn on Jacqui's expenses as it was this claim which caused the initial outrage and led to us demanding to see the full list of expenses fraudulently claimed.
- R.F., Yorks, UK
The only thing that MPs are sorry for is that they got caught.Speaker Martin's fury is that having wasted thousands of pounds of public money trying to keep this corruption secret and let the gravy train continue, they have all been caught bang to rights and his attempts at cover ups have failed.Whoever leaked the details to the press deserves a knighthood. Guy Fawkes was right !!!!
- Mick, London
AND, did anyone see the interview on Sunday morning with Margaret Moran on The Politics Show. AMAZING ! Laughed ? I would not have believed it unless I had watched it.
- E.Nuff, London
The point is not simply that the Commons Authorities approved the expenses (lamentable tho that is) it's that when signing their expenses, the Commons rules state "an MP’s signature verifies that the expenditure was wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred in the performance of their duties".
Clearly many of these expenses were not - I hope Cameron has the balls to withdraw the whip from these MPs, and can get back on track with ousting woeful Brown who is now able to take shelter behind the Tory moats, manure and chandeliers, albeit, I hope, temporarily.
- Johnny, Beijing, China
No more words of apology Cameron. Actions speak louder than words. Withdraw the whip from all of them including your shadowy front benchers and cleanse the party completely. Then there will be clear ground between you and this sleazy government.
- Doug Watt, london e14
I'm an MP a chosen one
Claim,claim,claim it's jolly good fun
Taxes,stamp duty,VAT paid by the needy
Money,money,money we are not greedy
Keep on paying you rank and file
You are helping us to amass our pile
Anon MP
- G.Diamond, Essex
There is a VERY SIMPLE solution to the expenses of EVERY MP..they are voted in by the people of the constituate,therefore in each constituate there should be a mechanism set up that entitles the voters to vet each and every expense.This committee would have 3 members 1 solicitor,1 accountant, and 1 person from the people...this then would cut out the expense of having a fact finding waste of money solution put forward at the moment.Then this committee is voted in by the constituate
for a period of 1 year,and they cannot be re-elected for a period of 3 years...this then cuts out any fraud and old buddy connections
- European, Hong Kong China
Some MPs are not abusing the expenses system, but alas many are. They are living in a parallel universe where they think they can claim for virtually everything under the sun; they think they are rather more important than they actually are. The second homes scam is in particular a major abuse which needs to be slapped down hard.
There are elections next month for the Euro parliament; we need to challenge these candidates on what they'd claim for if elected. And next year we'll have a General Election - a mass clear-out from Westminster of existing MPs who've milked the system is surely called for. But let's also make sure we support MPs who have not joined the gravy train - Alan Johnson, Norman Baker and Ben Wallace, from the Labour, Lib Dems and Conservative parties, for example, stand out. Oh and we also need complete transparency - all expenses and allowances claims and payments need to be available for scrutiny by the public. Perhaps also the Speaker should plan for his retirement; it would be good if he could leave with some dignity to himself and his office.
- Stuart, London
still no party has actually said the money will be repaid. cameron is scared of the grandees. labour have gone quiet.nothing is going to happen. its the total contempt parliment has for the people that is so sad.believe me .this will fizzle out. any change will only happen when the populace takes to the streets.and before the people get to the mps,they will have to fight the storm troopers first.yes the police. the laws passed give no right anymore to any type of demonstration. sorry you brits.sitting on youre backsides and whinging will not make anything happen. are you aware that hm goverment have already designated holding camps should any summer riots take place. and this was before the expenes furore. if u dont beleive me ask jack straw . it slipped under the radar again. bit like living in nazi germany again doesnt it.
- Mikeee, peterborough uk
DAVID CAMERON SHOULD SACK THEM, THEN I IMIGHT VOTE TORY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SIXTY YEARS.
- Alan Green, Woodford Green
But, incredibly, this horribly grotesque expenses' scam comes after 12 years of a much heralded 'whiter than white government' promise by 'Labour'.
Most voters smelt a rat with 'Speaker' Martin and his bullied crony teams' dubious 'supervision' of Commons' protocol when, amongst many other dodgy actions, he
'politically' let the police into The House to deliberately feel Tory collars, and the Balls-Coopers were quickly 'cleared' about their second home expense
'flipping' just before this expenses dam broke.
What I want to know is whither now the strangely silent Balls-Coopers?
- Dave, Cumbria
I worked 325 days last year,12 hour shifts,to put a roof over my famileys head and food on the table.My kids had no holiday,there was no money for one,as council tax increases swallowed what was left.In the last 7 years,my expenses claimed NIL. One MPs claim for Expenses,three times my take home pay.I wish to thank you MPs for allowing me to work like a slave,to have no time to spend with my familey,so as to fund your expenses.I hope you enjoyed stealing every penny and it made you happy.My life is becomming so tire-some,I used to be proud to be British,I trusted you,working for a better chance in life for my kids has been a priveledge,and hopefully one day they will grow up to restore justice and pride back to my beloved country,were all are equall under the law.God save our Queen.
- David, london
I think it was the Labour Gov who told HMQ (her Majesty the Queen) that Britannia had to go because it was "too expensive".
And when someone tried to bring the excesses of the EU Ministers' expenses into the public arena, wasn't she sacked by Neil Kinnock?
- Patricia, LONDON
Oh come on now people. With Taxes at 50%, what do you expect?
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke
I just hope HMRC get moving on recovering the tax due on this.
These expenses are clearly not essential for the job, and as a minimum we should get back 40%.
- Ant, Egham
The Speaker of the House is one man that has a great deal to loose in this fiasco of expenses.It is he who has a great many questions to be answered in regards to his ''expenses''.Along with the majority of MPs it was he who was against the disclosure,now it has come to light he and many other MPs are running scared.As for him
bringing in the Police what good will that do,the
''mole" has done this country a great service,and now instead of having ''edited'' versions,which incidently the Speaker insisted on ,we now have the bare facts of how corrupt he and the Majority of MPs are.
- European, Hong Kong China
A few years ago a throng congregated on Buck Palace to protest the absence of a flag at half mast.Is it so hard for people to do the same in protest of the MP scandal and demand the Queen dissolve parliament?Is this not a national tragedy?
- Amoreno, Luxembourg
