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Leading candidates for the Speaker of the Commons were today hit by a raft of allegations over their own expenses and second home claims.
Sir George Young, Sir Alan Beith and John Bercow faced questions over their use of public money. Tory Sir George, who employs his daughter Camilla as his office manager, claimed the maximum second home allowance on a London flat.
Liberal Democrat Sir Alan claimed £117,000 in second home allowance while his wife, Baroness Maddock, claimed £60,000 for staying at the same address. The couple said that they had tried to halve their expenses but Sir Alan's claim amounted to far more than 50 per cent of the allowance.
Mr Bercow faced questions over why he “flipped” the designation of his second home, but he insisted that the change was because his disabled son had started full-time school in London.
Other contenders for Speaker, Sir Menzies Campbell and Sir Alan Haselhurst, have already been hit by the expenses revelations. Sir Menzies agreed to repay £1,490 in interior designer's fees claimed on his Dolphin Square flat, while Sir Alan claimed nearly £12,000 for gardening bills at his Essex farmhouse.
The only leading contender for Speaker who appears to have emerged unscathed from the affair appeared to be Frank Field, the former Labour minister. He is one of the 200 lowest-claiming MPs.
Even though his seat is 220 miles from Westminster, he claimed less than half the amount claimed by some MPs with constituencies in outer London.
Reader views (3)
Sir lan Beith married to Baronness Maddock = 177thousand pounds claims for same home.
The sooner the tumbrils roll and the public executions begin the better.
- P Doff, audierne france
Anne Widdecombe for Speaker - the last time we had a female speaker (Betty Boothroyd) she was absolutely brilliant. Let's have another woman of substance
- Malcolm, London
'A child and a nurse have become wedged in the Tunnel of Goats. Could we please have another nurse to help them out?'
[Father Ted joke.]
Hapless people becoming caught up in an unfortunate situation.
- John, London
