Expenses claims of speaker hopefuls revealed
The Sunday Telegraph has revealed the expenses claims of candidates seeking to be elected speaker on Monday.
The paper, which holds files that have not been redacted or blacked out, has reported on the claims of Labour candidates Margaret Beckett and Parmjit Dhanda, Liberal Democrat hopeful Sir Alan Beith and the Conservatives running for the post: John Bercow and Sir Patrick Cormack.
Former foreign secretary Mrs Beckett submitted claims for plants in three filings in 2001, 2003 and 2005. A claim for £11,000 in 2005 was rejected by the Fees Office with the MP saying that the claim had been a mistake.
According to the paper, Gloucester MP Mr Dhanda over-claimed on his second home allowance twice by receiving more mortgage interest than he was due.
Berwick-upon-Tweed MP Sir Alan was criticised during the paper’s expenses investigation for claims related to his secretary. The MP reportedly claimed £220 a week for his secretary to spend a month in his constituency during the 2005 general election campaign.
The candidates for the Conservative party Mr Bercow and Sir Patrick have also been accused by the paper of not being honest with their expenses.
Buckingham MP Mr Bercow twice made claims for a professional accountant to do his tax return, costing the taxpayer £969.
Sir Patrick was criticised by the paper for claiming household expenses for both his main and second homes resulting in him being reimbursed £9,280 in the three years to 2008 for the running costs of the properties.
