Labour and Tories ‘connived’ on expenses – Huhne
By politics.co.uk staff
Labour and the Conservatives deliberately sought to avoid the worst offences of the expenses scandal coming to light, Chris Huhne has claimed.
The Liberal Democrats’ home affairs spokesman told BBC2’s Daily Politics programme that flipping MPs’ second homes allowance and avoiding capital gains tax (CGT) were “swept under the carpet”.
He said the “connivance” of Labour, the Conservatives and former Speaker Michael Martin helped delay the publication of MPs’ expenses.
Had the Telegraph not obtained a leaked copy of the expenses database the worst abuses would not have come to light, as House authorities redacted large sections of the expenses paperwork hiding them, he argued.
Mr Huhne’s comment continues the Lib Dem approach to the issue, that none of its MPs were caught flipping or seeking financial gain by avoiding CGT.
