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Commons Speaker John Bercow was today forced to defend spending £20,000 on refurbishments to his grace-and-favour official residence.
Alterations, decorations and furnishings in his rent-free apartment in the Palace of Westminster were disclosed.
Much of the money was spent on costly safety measures for his three children, the first to move into the historic apartment.
However, the total cost raised eyebrows in the wake of Mr Bercow's promises to help Westminster win back public support in the wake of the expenses scandals.
A source speaking on his behalf said he had shopped at Ikea to cut expense and had kept his predecessor Michael Martin's old bed.
Improvements at Speaker's House include £7,524.30 on a sofa and window seat cushions for the drawing room. One of two studies is earmarked as a playroom for the children, at a cost of £1,087 for redecorating it.
Some £3,600 was spent fitting locks to windows and having workmen check that access ducts in the wall panelling are lockable or childproof. A further £3,880 has been spent on planters to provide child safety on the terrace overlooking the Thames.
A document setting out the spending was leaked to the Telegraph. It revealed a kitchen clock at £80, a notice board and blackboard costing £86.73 and a hob guard at £47.88.
Altogether, the work will cost £20,659.36 and another £20,000 has reportedly been earmarked to cover general maintenance.
It is far short of the £700,000 spent by Mr Bercow's predecessor Michael Martin on refurbishing the residence between 2000 and 2008. Mr Martin also oversaw a further £992,000 spent on the garden and security.
Buckingham MP Mr Bercow was elected Speaker in June after Mr Martin was forced from office over his poor handling of the expenses scandal.
A Commons source said: “The Speaker believes that these are reasonable costs and they reflect the fact that he has a young family.
“He believes people can see it is not extravagance and that the money has been spent wisely. For example, the bed he has brought in came from Ikea.”
The bills for redecorations at the Commons are often large, using expensive materials and top-class decorators.
Reader views (26)
He has been given a very nice rent free house to live in. If this greedy man wants to change things fine, just pay for the changes out of your pocket! This horrible man was only voted in because he was the man least wanted by the next Government and the man least likely to change the way they can fiddle their expenses. He needs to be removed when the new party takes power!
- Duncan Walker, Ex Peckham now Thailand, 06/08/2009 01:53
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Only a revolution to overthrow this bunch will change things. I ask you Evening Standard,what other options do we the British Public have,even after the major expense scandel they are still holding up two fingers to us.
- David, london, 05/08/2009 16:56
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these jumped up nobodies become champagne socialists overnight once they get the faintest whisp of life high on the hogsback at the tapayers expense. of course, in their own heads they can justify it, much like the ruling elite in 'animal farm', but ultimately it is not themselves that have to be at ease with the expense, it is the great unwashed who are never asked if it is justifiable to spend their hard earned and easily deducted in this way.
i sincerely hope the great majority of the franchised voter will have a long memory when the election arrives and use their precious vote wisely.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk, 05/08/2009 16:54
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Very noble of him not to change the bed. Do Ikea have £7000 sofa?
- Oliver, London, 05/08/2009 16:17
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People are becoming overly sensitive. What do you expect from eccentric MP's who think they are worth the same as people in private sector despite the fact that most MP's have failed in the private sector and are nothing more misfits milking the public purse and riding a gravy train that has never stopped moving forwards. These are not the best the country has to offer, please lower the bar when judging them as most will soon be signing on and begging the private sector for work a few will milk the celebrity circuit but most are washed up baked beans
- Gary, Brentwood, 05/08/2009 14:19
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"He should be eliminated from his position in the Labour Party"? He's a Tory, and portent of what is to come if Boris deposes Cameron in time to be elected PM and reinstate Thatcherism. "House of Spivs" is all too true and Cap is right, "only a revolution will change them" and then only for a short while because the leaders of the revolution will morph into the very beings they sought to rid us of.
- Diplomat, Battersea, 05/08/2009 13:11
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This plundering is very deep rooted and has been going on for years and years. Remember that we only know about the last four years and that Tony Blair made sure that his expense claims were shredded and irretrievable before leaving Downing Street.
These people appear to consider it their right to claim the smallest household items from the taxpayer.
Why are they being allowed to keep the items they purchased. Much of the stuff could be classified as stolen goods and should be sold off at public auction.
I've always felt that you must have an ego the size of an elephant simply to want to become an MP Aand must consider yourself vastly superior to the common herd.
Bercow and co. have proved my theory to be correct.
- Scotty, Cambridge UK, 05/08/2009 13:08
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As Margaret Thatcher once said; there is no such thing as Society.
Freemasons rule as always; gotta pick a pocket or two, yes we are returning to the days of Charles Dickens, Alms Houses, and soup kitchens.
It won’t be long before we are sticking children up chimneys again, and making them work is sweat shop factories for bread and water.
- Mickinlondon, london., 05/08/2009 13:07
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Snout Pig and Trough come immediately to mind.
- Scarper, England, 05/08/2009 12:57
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It's very simple people! instruct your accountant to pay no tax or at most the bare minimum. I did and I have never been happier with the thought of these greedy swine NOT having a good old time with my cash. Ask today! cut them off. It is legal and it is do-able.
- Jimbob, Kensington, 05/08/2009 12:56
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He is entitled to have his official residence changed to suit his personal needs as a father of three young children. The charges in the main relates to the need to change locks etc to ensure his children's safety. Any employer would meet this cost.
- Jane, Lincoln, 05/08/2009 12:55
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I see nothing wrong with this. He's known as a man of taste and probably wanted the horrible decor of the previous tenant changed.
- Anthony, Esher, Surrey, 05/08/2009 12:51
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Filth. Another one filling his boots, while the country sinks.
- Darren, london, 05/08/2009 12:20
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No, no, no! The country does not have enough money to do this. If we cannot afford the correct military equipment for our armed forces, and we cannot afford certain cancer drugs. The effect of both = people die, then we cannot afford this either financially or morally. How long can we accept this? Everyone must unite to stop this.
- Mikkiduk, Hackney, London, 05/08/2009 12:00
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So no change there then. Once a hand is in the taxpayers pocket it is difficult to remove it.
Remember that this place has only been recently refurbished by Martin, perhaps he did not put a £7K sofa in the government furniture collection.
Essentially this is YOUR money they are spending and they are being paid by the many tax's on your hard earned income. These people should accept what is in place an lump it.
These places should be appointed by tender for the lowest price, if that means Ikea furniture so be it. Remember that these people are no better than you or I they represent us through a dubious electoral system. Therefore, as our elected representatives, they must respect us and take care of our hard-earned income by not spending money of disposable items for personal use, at the minimum.
I for one will not be voting these despicable people in again next year, but the two principle alternatives are no better, the have either milked the system of stood by and allowed the duplicitous behaviour to continue.
My suggestion is only vote for somebody at the next election who is not in the main party system and anybody who has not been an MP previously – some hope !
- Jude, London, 05/08/2009 11:40
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So a document was leaked to the Telegraph so it should be simple to trace who would have access to said document and who was most likely to have leaked all the other information!!
As for changes for his children well it must have been already known he had children when he stood for speaker a post that has normally been held by an elder member whose children have grown up!!
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 05/08/2009 11:40
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I'm normally all for us keeping with tradition, but really, why does he have to live in the Palace of Westminster at all! What a bunch of bloody parasites they all are. The hard working public get away with nothing in this country, whilst they fleece our taxes.
- Sue, Orpington, Kent, 05/08/2009 11:33
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The Westminster cesspit is overflowing with scum of the earth politicians but it will be flushed out at the next election. None of these criminals must ever be allowed back into government - and all "second homes" which they bought with tax payers' money must be sold and the money returned to the treasury. If Bercow wants a new sofa he ought be made pay for it out of his own pocket.
- R.F., Yorks, UK, 05/08/2009 10:22
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The thieves shop steward is doing the job as he sees it.This incompetent and talentless House of Spivs must be thrown out at the earliest election.I fear violence will be visited on individual
s in the near future and there will no sympathy for the victim
- Peter Dickinson, immenstadt germany, 05/08/2009 10:02
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It doesn't seem yesterday that we were hearing about the rolls of wallpaper costing £500 a piece for the same apartment? Perhaps these are being removed and kiddies patterns being installed?
- Jonathan Montmorency, cooden, uk, 05/08/2009 10:01
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Well done on voting Cashcow, sorry Bercow, for speaker over someone respected and no nonsense like Anne Widdecombe, hurrah for our elected representatives and the £12,000 unaccountable tax free bonuses, sorry, I meant expenses, they all got for voting Bercow.
- Bob, Cheam, 05/08/2009 09:15
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I always said this greedy individual was only voted into the hair because he was the candidate most likely to carry on with the plundering of the tax payer! He had and has no intention of changing too much and needs to be removed by the tory party when they take power next year if not before! Just look at the way they watered down to near uselessness the reforms that eventually got passed. We need a total clear out and a fresh start! They have proved time and time again they are not going to give the public what it deserves and expects!
- Duncan Walker, Ex Peckham now Thailand, 05/08/2009 09:07
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Same pigs, different trough.
- Shallotman, Basildon, 05/08/2009 08:39
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Why would we expect anything to change in the 'Place of Westminster' ?
These guys have been taking the mickey for decades, only a revolution will change them.
- Cap, London, 05/08/2009 07:47
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What a complete and utter rip off by Bercow
He just takes our money and he is a thief just taking our money for his own home
He should be eliminated from his position in the Labour Party
- Brian Challis, Southend-on-Sea, UK, 05/08/2009 07:31
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Bercow is the berk the MPs wanted and he is a shining example of what politicians in the majority are and strive to be.
- Frederick, London, 05/08/2009 07:20
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