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London's MPs are frantically dumping second homes as their expenses bill of almost £10 million a year comes under the spotlight.
Commons officials have been deluged with requests from members who want to cut their claims in a bid to appease outraged voters before the next general election.
And dozens of MPs from outside the capital are taking advantage of a £7,500 allowance designed for inner London MPs. They are dropping the more generous £24,000 second home allowances, and choosing to take this simpler pay boost — called the London Costs Allowance — for which no receipts are required.
The total cost of the capital's 72 members can today be revealed as £14.4 million. This includes £4.6 million for basic pay of £64,766 each, plus £9,702,378 office costs and expenses.
On average, a London MP claims £131,113 in allowances and expenses. Most goes on staff salaries and office costs which MPs say benefit only constituents, not themselves.
However, it is the total of £433,000 spent on second homes by some London MPs that has led to a series of scandals and allegations that they have been cashing in at the public's expense.
For several years the Standard has highlighted the absurd situation in which millions commute to the capital from far-flung towns yet MPs whose constituencies are only a few miles away demand flats in the centre.
One of the most notorious claimers, Brent North MP Barry Gardiner, now admits payments should have been reformed years ago. He has claimed more than £130,000 in the last seven years to run a flat, even though his constituency is eight miles from the Commons.
“The system was designed for a different age,” he said. “The Commons no longer sits all night as it often did when I was first elected in 1997, and I understand why people feel angry that the reform of parliamentary hours has not gone hand in hand with a reform of parliamentary expenses.
“I believe all MPs need to apologise to the public that we did not sort this out sooner, and for my part I make that apology unreservedly.”
Mr Gardiner recently voted to ban all outer London MPs from claiming for a flat. He is reckoned to have made almost £200,000 profit on the flat he purchased and renovated with the help of the public purse — but he did pay capital gains tax when he sold it, unlike Cabinet minister Hazel Blears, which means the taxpayer got much of its money back.
He said: “I do not enjoy spending half the week not seeing my wife and children, but I accept this because I wish to serve my constituents conscientiously. I habitually work in my parliamentary office up to and beyond midnight.”
Only 24 London MPs take anything from the second home allowance, claiming an average of £18,000 each. The most frugal is Hornchurch Conservative James Brokenshire, who last year took only £368.
Uniquely, he has never claimed the London Supplement (being replaced by the London Costs Allowance) a salary boost of £2,812 available as an alternative for those who do not bother with a second home.
The former City solicitor said he was happy without one: “I'm not holier than thou. I just do what I think is right with the expenses that are available.”
The next cheapest is Hendon Labour MP Andrew Dismore, whose Westminster flat cost taxpayers £3,815 last year. He is among those who have stopped claiming for a second home in recent weeks. Under new rules, MPs from any area can receive the £7,500 London Costs Allowance, paid out like salary with no receipts needed and no questions asked.
Among those switching are Tories Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet) and Chris Grayling (Epsom and Ewell), who have both been accused of milking the second home allowance with unreasonable claims.
Steve Pound, Labour MP for Ealing North, has claimed no second homes allowance since he became an MP in 1997. But his west London seat is surrounded by colleagues who have submitted controversial claims — Tony McNulty in Harrow East, Gareth Thomas in Harrow West, Dawn Butler in Brent South, Alan Keen in Feltham and Heston and Ann Keen in Brentford and Isleworth.
The Saints
James Brokenshire
Conservative MP for Hornchurch
Claimed £368 in second home expenses and did not take any London supplement — the lowest by far.
Kelvin Hopkins
Labour MP for Luton North
Travels with commuters on the Thameslink to London each morning, shunning a second home.
Paul Burstow
Sutton & Cheam MP, Liberal Democrat chief whip
Took the £2,812 London supplement instead of a second home, as did other London Lib-Dem MPs.
The Sinners
Dawn Butler
Labour MP for Brent South and Government whip
2007/8 claim: £23,083
She bought a “near derelict” home in Wembley, even though her main home was 15 miles away. She claimed £2,650 for a heating system. She also unwittingly claimed £2,600 too much for rent but offered to “dig out” receipts rather than pay it back.
Her defence: “All the claims are legitimate.”
Majority: 11,326 Vulnerability: Low
Chris Grayling
Tory MP for Epsom & Ewell and shadow home secretary
2007/8 claim: £15,332
He bought and renovated a flat in Pimlico using taxpayer funding even though his constituency home is 17 miles from the Commons.
His defence: He said a second home enabled him to service constituents and the shadow cabinet.
Majority: 16,447 Vulnerability: Very low
Tony McNulty
Labour MP for Harrow East, Employment Minister
2007/8 claim: £12,600
He designated his parents' house as his second home. It is in Harrow, eight miles from his main residence in Hammersmith and 11 miles from the Commons.
His defence: He insisted he made “considerable” use of it for his duties and no rules were broken.
Majority: 4,730 Vulnerability: High
Theresa Villiers
Tory MP for Chipping Barnet and shadow transport secretary
2007/8 claim: £18,181
She claimed £16,000 for a Kennington flat, despite owning a house in London, including £10,350 for stamp duty. She also claimed £1,062 interest on a £285,000 mortgage.
Her defence: “All the claims are within the rules.”
Majority: 5,960 Vulnerability: Low
The Keens
Labour MPs for Feltham & Heston and Brentford & Isleworth
2007/8 claim: Alan £19,855; Ann £18,338
They claimed almost £40,000 on a flat overlooking the Thames, 10 miles from their family house.
Their defence: Married MPs can claim for a property they share.
Majority: Alan: 6,820; Ann: 4,411
Vulnerability: High
Joan Ryan
Labour MP for Enfield North
2007/8 claim: £21,658
She spent £4,500 on repairs to her “main home”, 14 miles from the Commons. She then made a south London flat her main home, claiming £900 on gutters and French doors and £1,888 to redecorate.
Her defence: Rules obliged her to have the London main home while serving as a Home Office minister.
Majority: 1,920 Vulnerability: Very high
Reader views (29)
Would it not be better if the government bought flats /houses for MPs for use in local consituences so that when one is deposed the replacement takes over the property.After the initial expense,it would ultimately save on expenses, as only decoration would need to be done on arrival.
- Alan Green, London, 29/03/2010 14:06
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The recent pledge by Kennedy that MP’s must pay back profits from second homes only applies to gains since November 2009, [http://gains from massive Increases up to 2008 will be ignored.|http://gains from massive Increases up to 2008 will be ignored.]
Once again they fail to live up to expectations.
Profits from second homes need to be backdated to 1997.
There was never any political will to enable the average person earning average wage to be able to afford an average house in a rising unregulated market, under a secret expenses system, where MP’s were all flipping houses, making hundreds of thousands in personal profits.
Not one MP represented the average wage earner.
It is typical that the plan is NOT to reclaim the profits made before 2008 – as this is when 95% of the profit would have been made. Again it appears a symbolic gesture to appease angry voters. But we will NOT be so easily conned.
It is not just that they used our money to profit, and paid no tax on the gains, it is also that it created a dangerous conflict of interest that meant that voting for policies which fed the house price bubble also generated personal profits for them.
MP’s should not be able to make any kind of PERSONAL profit whatsoever, with Taxpayers money.
- The Entire Uk, London, 19/02/2010 08:06
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“I believe all MPs need to apologise to the public that we did not sort this out sooner, and for my part I make that apology unreservedly.”
In this day and age, that is so irrelevant. As if to suggest an apology is one thing, but an unreserved apology is some how better. We, the public, will only accept refunds and resignations.
- Ben Farrell, London, 19/02/2010 07:06
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David Alexander Weller, Walpole St Andrew is spot on when he states MPs "represent the People of this Country and should show some humility to those who have given them the opportunity to work for the common good." It shouldn't be about traveling First Class, spending £18,000 on hand made mahogany bookcases and 5 star hotels. If these people really feel that bespoke duck houses and tending to their 500 trees are the norm, then how can they represent regular, working class people? How can they relate to the challenges of bringing up children while earning less that £10k pa? What do they really know of life? The level of arrogance that has been exposed over the past few weeks is staggering.
- Ben Farrell, London, 19/02/2010 07:06
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Cameron looks like the Prime Minister in waiting. Brown is, as usual, dithering and scheming as to how he can hang on to power and get away with his own dishonest claims. ALL MPs who have claimed wrongly should be made to pay back what they claimed excessively and those who have clearly made fraudulent claims - Jackie Smith, Alistair Darling, Hazel Blears being the most high profile - should be prosecuted. I had a tax inspection some time ago and was grilled most ferociously by a tax man over a bill for £5.25! It's one rule for Joe Public and another for MPs - and they should be made to suffer. And the first step MUST be to have a general election.
- Fido7585, Shifnal, Shropshire, 19/02/2010 07:06
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MP,s who have seats some distance from Westminster obviously need financial support to travel to Parliament. My neighbour near King's Lynn commutes to her job in The City every day.Surely MP,s could do the same . In which case Parliament could supply them with a season ticket and a fixed daily subsistance allowance. Obviously those who live further afield would have to stay in London and could be allowed a fixed sum for Hotel and subsistance allowance. After all these are ordinary people and should not have Special Favors.
They represent the People of this Country and should show some humility to those who have given them the opportunity to work for the common good.
Obviously this is a simplistic solution to a more complex problem and anyone who requires to be treated differently should have to prove that they have a special need.
There are thousands of businesses throught the country who pay out expenses to their representatives so any solution should be easy to implement and supervise.
If the system is simplified and supervised they would have more time to see to our interests and not their own.
- David Alexander Weller, Walpole St Andrew, 19/02/2010 07:06
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100% of the proceeds from the sale of off-loading their second home should be paid back to the tax departments as a penaly. Failure to comply will lead to loss of MP's job and a full police investigation into every single MP's expenses. Start taking tough action now.
- Frank, Copenhagen, Denmark, 19/02/2010 07:06
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All determined to grab something, even if it's only the London allowance. Rats up drainpipes. Not learning lessons, just veering in a different direction.
- Jilly, London, 19/02/2010 07:06
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good on the hornchurch m.p.s, jon cryer did the same when he was there
- John P Reid, london, 19/02/2010 07:06
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The simple answer to all of this greedy moneygrabbing by MPs is to ensure that every voter remembers if their MP was guilty, and vote them out of power at the next election. That is the only way to show them how strongly you feel.
- Tony Calladine, Weston Supermare. UK., 19/02/2010 07:06
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Perhaps if we did what the USA do and have MPs for the countys, think what a saving that would be for the tax payers who,when they open there pay packets only to find
the that some highwayman called The goverment, got in it and took his lot first. They are all BANDITS
- Richard Edmunds, Rayleigh Essex, 19/02/2010 07:06
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Too little, too late. Nothing would have changed if the MPs had been able to cover their tracks as they had planned to do.
It is time for wholesale deselection - sweep the stable clean and start again.
- Carl, London, 19/02/2010 07:06
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Your choices are very selective. Why not give us a complete picture of second home charges for all LOndon MPs at one go? Tony
- Tony, Richmond, 19/02/2010 07:06
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MP's expenses are peanuts.
What we should be demanding to know is where have all our billions of pounds gone that the Government have given/loaned to the banks.
I believe that most of this money did not go to the USA sub-prime market as claimed by Gordon Brown, but went to the Eastern European countries to prop up their rubbish economies at the behest of the EU.
We deserve to be told the truth.
The MP's expense situation is just a smoke-screen.
- John Jones, Westminster, 19/02/2010 07:06
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i think you could go back 40 year and find mps at this type of thing.still that's not there fault.they should all be prosocuted for what they have done.and i would not buy a used car from any of them.there all theives and lairs.
- Rob Sheridan, romford, 19/02/2010 07:06
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Where is Jon Cruddas in all of this. He has two homes, one in Dagenham and another in Notting Hill. He lives in his second home (Notting Hill) so that his child can go to a selective school.
His first home in Dagenham is approximately 45 minutes on the train from Westminster on the District Line!!
- Mrs, London UK, 19/02/2010 07:06
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Where is Harry Cohen, Labour MP for Leyton and Wanstead (and Colchester!)in this list? His disgraceful behaviour was one of the first revelations. He bought a home that was even further from his constituency and further from the House of Commons, then designated it as his main home so that he could upgrade his new "second" home from Leyton to Wanstead at our (massive)expense. He is hardly ever in his "main home", ,living in his second home nearly all the time. Quite how he thinks he is better than Churchill is a mystery wrapped in a conundrum inside a deranged fantasist. Still, every cloud - he has not been seen this this story broke.
Message to Harry Cohen: The Gravy Train has hit the buffers. Stand down Harry!
Your time's up Harry. Stand down!
- Leyton And Wanstead Enquirer, Wanstead, London?, 19/02/2010 07:06
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Looking at the full list the other day it seemed to me that my MP Rudy Vis claimed max second home allowance 28k. I used to commute from finchley to victoria every day 1/2 mile from parliament and I worked late regularly. Late night a cab only takes 20-30 minutes FFS, in rush hour an hour at worst so what is his excuse and why did you leave him out?
- Douglas, London, Uk, 19/02/2010 07:06
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Butler, Ryan and the Keens will be seeking call-centre employment within twelve months; though I suppose that'll be better than sewing mailbags for a crust. Bring it on!
- Ted, London, 19/02/2010 07:06
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Do any of these offloaded second homes come with stables attached?
And if so, did they remember to lock the doors?
- Michael, London, 19/02/2010 07:06
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Too little, too late.
These MP's will pay the price for their greed.
Roll-on that election. The longer they leave it, the harder they will pay.
- P C, rainham. Essex., 19/02/2010 07:06
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The voters of the constituencies where MPs have/are claiming expenses which, to the ordinary man in the street are unjustifiable legally or morally, will be punished at the next general election. If they think that a few mealy mouthed and insincere apologies, without any financial pay back, will satisfy the voters they are living in cloud cuckoo land. Crash Gordon needs to act in the same decisive manner that David Cameron has done by insisting that the worst offending MPs are dropped/deselected from standing at the next election. If not his his parties defeat will be even greater at the forthcoming local elections in june and a catastrophic result in the soon to be announced timing of the general election. At present he is prevaricating and unable/unwilling to deal with members of his own Cabinet who have been exposed as some of the worst fraudsters in his party.
- Pat, South London, 19/02/2010 07:06
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Greedy little MP Barry Gardner says that the system was designed for a different age. Was he going to work on horseback when he was first elected? 12 years isn't an 'age'. It's 12 years.
- Chris, London UK, 19/02/2010 07:06
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All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.
We had heard this before from other pigs with their snouts in the trough.
- Bryan Lawday, Port Eluzabeth, South Africa, 19/02/2010 07:06
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I have only one concern with the idea of all of these MPs starting to commute to work every day on public transport - think of all the extra top secret documents they'll lose!
- Rogan, Irving, 19/02/2010 07:06
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I find it perfectly scandalous that MP's can be paid £64,500 p.a. for doing practically nothing and THEN they can claim another £7,500 WITHOUT ANY RECEIPTS, and that is just for starters.
Of course, Joe Public will ever only know 5% of the truth behind these obscene expenses claims by MP's.
ONE LAW FOR JOE PUBLIC AND A DIFFERENT LAW FOR MP's.
- Reuben Camara, Morecambe/Lancaster, 19/02/2010 07:06
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TO LITTLE TO LATE
- Mike, London England, 19/02/2010 07:06
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Its a disgrace Joan Ryan MP Enfield needs a 2nd Home in South London because she claims buying a flat is cheaper than getting taxis when she works late --She lives a few houses away from me and there is no justification in her needing a 2nd home --different if she lived in the midlands but she lives within the M25 --Why should public servants be granted all these bogus expense claims no other industry or commercial enterprise would condone or allow this abuse to continue --Like anyone else in this country MP's should meet domestic expenditure from wages instead of abusing the system
- Paul Davis, Enfield, 19/02/2010 07:06
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If the corrupt MPs are offloading their "second homes" how is Jacqui Smith going to fit her porn loving husband and children into the back bedroom of her sister's house - which she claims is her "main" home? When all these second homes have been sold - after the capital gains tax is paid then the remainder is returned to the public purse as we tax payers have bought and furnished the properties.
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 19/02/2010 07:06
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