Many MPs bought London properties with the help of the taxpayer when the previous expenses system allowed them to claim back mortgage payments. When those claims were banned following the expenses scandal, they switched to letting out their properties, in some cases for up to £3,000 a month.
Despite that income which only was possible because of the public funds used to pay their mortgages, some MPs have been exposed as claiming expenses for rent and hotels in the capital.
Sir Alistair Graham, the former chairman of the Committee for Standards in Public Life, told Channel 4 that MPs should be seen by the public to be upholding the spirit of new expenses rules. The rules state MPs must not “exploit the system for personal financial advantage”.
He said: “It’s not always just about exactly what the rules say. It is about you taking personal responsibility that public funds are used in a proper and appropriate way that your constituents would be comfortable with. I’m sure we will hear all sorts of sob stories about why it’s justifiable to do what they’ve done. But they must know in their heart of hearts that the public will see this as MPs on the make.”
MPs’ expenses: 46 claim in London despite owning a property
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Analysis shows the expenses claims cost the taxpayer more than £1.3m since 2012, write Guy Basnett and Paul McNamara.
Our investigation found many of the MPs bought their London properties with the help of the taxpayer when the previous expenses system allowed them to claim back mortgage payments.
But when those claims were banned following the expenses scandal they switched to letting out their properties, in some cases for up to £3,000 a month. They then started claiming expenses for rent and hotels in the capital.
MPs are permitted to claim more than £20,000 a year in London rent, and £150 a night for hotels. The practice is allowed under rules set by expenses watchdog, the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa), that oversees what MPs can claim. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by any of the 46 MPs.
Our investigation raises questions about whether the new Ipsa expenses system allows taxpayers’ money to be used appropriately, and whether MPs can still gain. The list of 46 MPs include 25 Conservatives, 14 Labour, and four from the Liberal Democrats.
Labour’s shadow culture minister Chris Bryant claimed expenses of £35,350 in 2012/13 and 2013/14 to rent a London flat – despite already owning a penthouse in the capital. He bought the property in 2005, claiming around £1,000 a month in mortgage claims. But when the rules changed he let it out. Estate agent brochures show the two-bed apartment with a private lift and porter has since been marketed for rent for around £3,000 a month.
Conservative MP and former health secretary Andrew Lansley jointly owns a flat in upmarket Pimlico with his wife, bought with help from mortgage claims. But since 2013 he’s claimed £7,440 to stay in London hotels. The MP for South Cambridgeshire does not let his flat out, but has instead made room for his daughter who has used the property to launch a business.
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Jim Murphy, the Labour party leader in Scotland, owns a property bought with help from the taxpayer just two miles from the Palace of Westminster, which he let out. Over two years from 2012/13 he claimed £39,372 to rent another London flat for himself.
Liberal Democrat former defence minister Sir Nick Harvey bought a house in Lambeth in 2002 and claimed expenses to help him pay his mortgage. However, after mortgage claims were banned he moved out and let the house to tenants. He then rented a separate flat in the same area, and has charged the taxpayer £39,772 in expenses claims in 2012/13 and 2013/14.
Scottish National Party MP Angus MacNeil jointly owns two properties with his wife in Scotland. He also owns a London flat in Lambeth, bought under the old expenses system, just a 15-minute walk from the houses of parliament. But in three years since 2012/13 he claimed £42,177 to stay in hotels in Westminster.
Former chairman of the Committee for Standards in Public Life, Sir Alistair Graham, said MPs should be seen by the public to be upholding the spirit of new expenses rules. The rules state MPs must not “exploit the system for personal financial advantage”.
Sir Alistair told Channel 4 News: “It’s not always just about exactly what the rules say. It is about you taking personal responsibility that public funds are used in a proper and appropriate way that your constituents would be comfortable with. I’m sure we will hear all sorts of sob stories about why it’s justifiable to do what they’ve done. But they must know in their heart of hearts that the public will see this as MPs on the make.”
Last night MPs said new Ipsa rules banning mortgage claims forced them to let out their second home to be able to afford mortgage and associated costs. Others said they switched to renting or staying in hotels to try to minimise costs.
Sir Nick Harvey said: “This situation is not of the MPs’ choosing. MPs have been obliged to let out their own properties since 2010 because the new rules say they cannot claim mortgage interest – only rent. Letting income covers the mortgage and other outgoings and is of course taxed. It is not MPs’ fault that the rules compel them to rent a separate flat to live in.
“In some cases this may even cost the taxpayer more than leaving them in their own home. Changes made with the best intentions sometimes have unintended consequences, as you have highlighted.”
Mr MacNeil said current expenses rules were to blame and that MPs should be allowed to claim for flats they own, as they did in the past. He said: “Ipsa should stand up to media pressures and enable MPs to take up cheaper accommodation alternatives in London, something that they currently do not support in regard of own flats.”
Mr Lansley said he normally commuted from his home in South Cambridgeshire and only stayed overnight in London hotel about once a month. He said he always sought to minimise costs to the taxpayer and his expenses claims are entirely within the rules.
He said: “My expense claims have always sought to minimise the cost to the taxpayer. My relatively few overnight stays in London (barely once a month in the last year) meant that my expenses claims would be lower for occasional hotel stays in sitting weeks than for the costs of maintaining a flat in Westminster. I have not claimed any expenses in relation to our London flat in either of the last two years. Its occupancy during this time is not therefore relevant to parliamentary expenses.
“I live in South Cambridgeshire and commute from there each day. I have only stayed in hotels during parliamentary sitting weeks when I was required to stay very late for business. By staying in a hotel only on the nights required, rather than maintaining a London flat, I have reduced my expenses claims for accommodation (to £5,490 in 2013-14 and to £1,950 in 2014-15).
“My claims are entirely in accordance with Ipsa rules. As you will have seen from Ipsa’s statement, they have confirmed this to be the case. I have secured no personal financial gain from the Ipsa expenses arrangements. Any suggestion to the contrary is clearly false, unsubstantiated and therefore malicious.”
Both Mr Bryant and Mr Murphy did not respond to a request for comment.
As Mrs MacNeil is his ‘constituency worker’ there must be someone in the islands who has knowledge of her doing constituency work. I’ve yet to meet them.
I know that nothing is referred to her from Bayhead so that begs all sorts of questions. Or answers all sorts of suspicions.
Is MacNeil keeping pigs with their snouts in the trough in Barra?
Mrs MacNeil earns a nice salary to look after the property portfolio, which also includes a house in Mull and two in Barra.
I thought he had life membership of the Union Jack Club – and that he had Honorary status within the Icelandic Embassy….
oink–oink
Angus Brendan started his career in politics with a sordid scandal, it now looks like his last few days in politics will be marked by another scandal of his own making. He does not deserve any sympathy, and this is a scandal too far for the scandal prone MP.
This time he has gone too far, even for me. I just knew there would be a bad story about him, but I thought it would be the full story about his “Icelandic Lessons”. I hoped he would be deselected to let Gordon, a decent chap, have a go this time in preparation for Edinburgh, but it was not to be and Angus Brendan was selected only to let us down again. You are on your own this time pal.
DISGUSTED.
I would have thought Gordon would have been an adequate representative at one time. However, even he is tainted by his excessive loyalty to this individual over the years. After all these successive scandals, a man with a conscience would have made clear his disquiet with the MP’s performance years ago, standing as an ‘independent’ rather than part of the SNP group in council. He did not. End of story.
No word of the other camp then? Just remember if SNP had its way we wouldn’t be having this conversation i.e. No need to traipse down to Londinium.
Remember it was Angus who highlighted the ridiculousness of the situation back in 2010. It will be interesting to see how much coverage of Jim’s much higher claims will be highlighted in our State press.
Oh and why are there so many anonymous people posting on this blog? Are you ashamed?
but what’s your actual view – do you support your MP and his paying of Mrs MacNeil – 75k – money that should be spent on staff who actually work for the islands? Are you the same Mr Budge who came a resounding last in the SY Trust poll and duped the Nicholson rector into supporting you?
Mr Budge, I see from recent media coverage of you that you work in the education sector. It is assumed you are a reasonably intelligent fellow yet your extremist nationalist leanings seem to show you up as a bit of a numpty. Your first reaction to Macneil’s disgusting behaviour is to try and spread the manure by asking about others. The article refers to others and they all have cases to answer. Why will you not at least join the calls for him to explain himself? Until you do you are an empty vessel and the voters of the trust have to be thankful that you did not convince them to vote for you. Are you simply unable to face the unpalatable facts about this MP’s greed and his focus on getting as much as possible for himself before he is found out? He seems to have nothing but disdain for the people who elected him yet clearly you and the rather silly Rector of the Nicolson Institute who thinks you are so wonderful have the blinkers on so tight that you will let him off the hook again and again.
This island needs decent people who will call out wrongdoing to be in our schools. People like you two are unfit to have anything to do with the education of my children.
Hi Roderick
I will answer this as you had the decency to provide your name. Indeed they all do have cases to answer and we should look at ALL these cases in the round. I think your reaction to people who may not have the same political view on things is a touch harsh, if you don’t mind me saying? Though judging by your response you probably do LOL. Most folk who know me see me as quite a reasonable person and would disagree with your judgement. Less about that though.
Would you agree that abolishing the need for Westminster accommodation and also abolishing the unelected House of Lords (700 odd folk on £300 a day +expenses) is a good idea?
If the answer is yes, Vote SNP get Scotland. If no then that is your democratic right.
I gather that there are nearly 1,000 members of the House of Lards these days.
People are entitled to hold whatever political views they wish and to question or argue with them when they are put in the public domain is fair game but to attack Hamish Budge for his ability to do his 9-5 job and suggest he is unfit for the role he holds is a complete disgrace and does any debate no credit whatsoever.
As someone with experience in internet safety Can I point out that anonymous postings should be discouraged where possible as it leads to false bravado, trolling and unsubstantiated claims which are sometimes tantamount to online abuse.
Please note just because it’s online does not mean it’s not abuse. If you are prepared to stand by what you say just put your name out there. That way you are more likely to behave in an appropriate manner.
If I wanted this kind of patronising advice, I’d ask my mother.
Its because of Nationalist Cyber attacks on me last year for using my name I too sadly post under another name.
Anyone who posts comments on the Internet, through blogs or any other means, is still legally liable for their comments. Moreover, in a case, for example, of Iain X’s blog, he monitors comments and, as far as I am aware, removes posts which go beyond the pale.
You should also be aware that all postings can be traced by the authorities, and if they are libellous, action can be taken against the authors of these posts.
How do you dip the DUP? and what’s the Icelandic for – “oh cac, my party locally is in meltdown and I only can get Archie Harper and assorted unemployables to support me…”
Hamish… Methinks AB protested a little too much way back in 2005. Aside from issuing a statement, he has done nothing to resolve the situation. Pointing at other ‘higher claims’ is also not in any sense a defence of the MP’s actions.
Oops – 2010! Still, what’s five years and a few thousand quid among friends.
Indeed 😉 http://www.scotland.com/forums/scottish-politics/25202-former-msps-1m-home-shame.html
Sorry, Hamish. That’s just about irrelevant. If he was so exercised about this issue, he has had more than enough time to rectify it. Instead, he persisted in his claim. He made no attempt to either sell his accomodation or, perhaps, use the cash for some good and charitable cause. In fact, his response has shown once again the measure of the man. Words cure everything – and the more of them the better. It is evident in his Parliamentary performance. It is evident in this. Can we not – for once in his life – see him respond by deeds?
Really appalling behaviour, but not the first time that he’s treated his constituents with utter contempt. Seeing him trying to explain it away on twitter with his ‘the big boys forced me to do it’ line is equally galling.
Serious question – when is the last time this man was in the news for positive reasons? For accomplishing something for his constituents?
He thinks he can get away with it because people will vote him back in anyway, regardless of his (in)actions. Sadly, he may yet prove correct.
Many have already apologised to Angus after also being misled by C4
http://metro.co.uk/2010/08/22/mp-told-to-claim-six-times-as-much-487520/
See my response above, Hamish. You are getting desperate!
I have a question for Hamish Budge.
As someone who claims a great deal of expertise in education, what is the legal course of action if a man with a formal teaching qualification is found drinking with school children?
Should they not be referred to, and disciplined severely by, the GTC?
Why was Angus Brendan MacNeil, who admitted to such appalling behaviour, not referred?
very unfair of course he’s got to pay her-in-doors – how could they have built the dance studio along the road. 25k per annum will help defray associated costs. anyway – whats wrong with robbing the British State…..
Well this is absolutely the last straw, and I have taken down his picture ( my husband will be delighted when he gets back) and thrown away all 10 house of commons Christmas cards, come to think of it I paid for the postage on them too.
I thought he employed his wife on minimum wage just to answer the phone for him when he is too tired, but 25,000 is a salary we can only dream of.
I am so glad I did not vote for that Hamish Budgie, how can he support someone fiddling the system, and what an example to our kids.
Why was he in a hotel all these times as well, and what was he up to, I don’t begrudge him that but he is married after all.
obh obh i wonder if someone bought a flat in Haymarket using our money
How can it be legal for Angus Macneil to claim back money he has spent on overnight hotel accommodation in the UK capital ,when he has previously claimed money from the taxpayer to provide him with a permanent London home that eliminated the need for him to stay in hotels ?
further to my last comment, I wonder if the flat in question above Haymarket railway station is let to students, Someone with an interest is keeping his head below the parapet, The usual story is people approached me etc , I can only surmise why a certain person hasn’t jumped on this story. Does he have anything to hide?
IMM, if it isn’t actually illegal then, unsavoury as it may be, the man has no case to answer on that score in my opinion.
Im probably on my own here but I honestly think that as long as i was operating within the rules and i wasnt breaking any laws I would always do what i could to maximise my income for myself and my family. Do others really not think like this? Its easy to say otherwise when you aren’t in the situation however, its not easy.
Oscar,easy to say when you are not destitute and living in a cardboard box in a doorway.these people that represent us talk about morality,but fail to respond to it themselves,and these Mps furtive trough snouting could go towards helping these unfortunates,rather than ME-Me-Me.l am afraid l do not vote for gold-diggers,so brendan(with a deliberate small b for a lesser man) you have successfully managed to lose my previous support.So no Oscar,l do not wear rose tinted,but clear vision of the facts when dragged into the cold light of day
If i stood as candidate tomorrow how would you be sure i wouldn’t milk the system to my best advantage? I could be a great MP, i could fight for your right to have a better username than your current porky status. I could campaign for more prominent Pork Scratchings. If I’m a great MP and i milk the system does that make me wrong? (Im not saying MacNeil is a great MP by any means, I’m jus putting it out there) In no other walk of life do we question the morale compass of the employee
I find the earlier discourse regarding Mr Macneil’s wife distasteful.
Chrissie Stewart put in a huge amount of work for this constituency and never got the credit for it.
Decent MP’s should be able to claim for their wives work [ as they”put up with a lot ].
Both Donald and Chrissie were decent people – as I’m reliably informed is Angus’s wife – so those of you are “having a go” at Angus by dragging his wife into the expenses scandal should stop.
Not only is it unfair but she didn’t stand for election – he did !
His behaviour and lack of commitment to anyone other himself is disgraceful
His wife’s behaviour isn’t , so leave her alone.
Angus has let our community down on numerous occasions :-
– Orkney
– Duplicity on Windfarms when he relaced a decent man – Calum Macdonald
– the Range in Uist
– Expenses
…..the list goes on
……..the answer is simple
………DON’T VOTE MACNEIL EVER AGAIN !
As you rightly say, Chrissie Stewart did a huge amount of work in the constituency for which she received a salary from the public purse. Jane receives a large salary from the public purse for doing what, exactly?
The only way to overcome this aspect of the unsavoury (if not exactly illegal) behaviour of members of the House of Common Thieves is to do exactly what they do in Germany. There they have blocks of government owned flats as accommodation for their MPs. The MPs pay no rent, but they cannot claim expenses for their accommodation and when they cease to be MPs, the flats revert to government ownership.
There is no reason why the English government cannot do the same in London. They could also provide a bus service to transport MPs to and from their work (probably a lot cheaper than paying for taxis).
Incidentally, they should not be allowed to claim for food expenses either, as they have to eat regardless of where they are or what they are doing
As for MacNeil paying his wife, I understood that MPs were not supposed to employ their relatives, though apparently some of them have been employing each others relatives to get around this.
It is little wonder that the people have little or no respect for politicians as their demonstrated greed has disgusted nearly everyone.
We should not forget that it is not only MacNeil that is involved in this behaviour, but also people like Murphy as well as all the others mentioned in the Channel 4 News article. Each and every one of them should be voted out at the next election.
COMMON SENSE, you, and all sensible people should consider this-
The MP’s wife has received a vast salary, which some of us can only dream about, at our expense, for many years.
She is paid for a job that was not advertised, required no interview, has no job description, and requires no meaningful work.
She is fully aware of some of her husband’s activities in London, and elsewhere.
It is distasteful, but the distaste emanates entirely from those who benefit from a system that is taken advantage of by greedy MP’s for their own gain.
He should have raised this earlier, not after he got caught out. In this day and age the press would have hailed him a hero, now he just goes down as ‘another who laughed at the tax payers’.
In my deranged youth (castle ground mushroom moments) i voted twice for AB, not this this time.
if memory serves,was it not he that originally,raised the issue of expenses,so Oscar Finch if you can preach morality,you can at the least,practice it,especially if you are elected as a representative of your people.After all,most people do not wear a cloak of public conscious iaqs part of their job title, just a bit of hypocracy present???