MPs' expenses: Telegraph reveals Gordon Brown's payments to brother
Gordon Brown and senior ministers are facing questions over their use of parliamentary expenses after the Daily Telegraph revealed details of their claims including payments made by the Prime Minister to his brother.
Gordon Brown paid Andrew Brown more than £6,000 for "cleaning services" over the course of two years, and reclaimed the money from the taxpayer. He insisted tonight he had done nothing wrong.
The Prime Minister also claimed twice for the same £153 plumber's bill - money which he paid back today after the Telegraph pointed out the discrepancy to Downing Street.
Jack Straw, Hazel Blears and Paul Murphy are among 13 members of the Government who have been dragged into the growing row over taxpayer-funded allowances by the Telegraph investigation.
The disclosures show the full extent to which MPs have exploited the expenses system to subsidise their lifestyles.
Details of MPs' expenses claims are due to be made public in July, when 1.5 million receipts will be published by parliament under the Freedom of Information Act, covering five years' worth of claims.
But crucial details such as the identity of people to whom money was paid and the location of homes which MPs claimed on will be deleted from the receipts when they are published, meaning many of the worst apparent abuses of the system may never have been uncovered.
The Daily Telegraph has seen uncensored copies of the receipts, which lay bare the extent to which MPs play the system to maximise the amount of money they can claim from the taxpayer.
• Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, claimed money for three different properties in the course of a year, and spent £5,000 on furniture in just three months after buying the third property.
• Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, claimed back twice as much for his council tax as he had actually paid. He later apologised for the error, saying accountancy was not his strong point.
• Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, splashed out more than £3,000 on a new hot water system for his second home, explaining in a letter to the parliamentary fees office that his water was too hot.
Over the coming days, further details of claims made by MPs from all parties will be revealed by the Telegraph.
Our investigation underlines the need for urgent reform of the expenses system, which is currently being reviewed by the committee for standards in public life.
In many cases, the parliamentary fees office, which administers the expenses system, uncovered evidence of apparent abuses but the MPs concerned were not independently investigated.
Mr Brown suffered a humiliating defeat last week when he was forced to drop proposals for immediate reforms, which followed a series of scandals involving other members of the cabinet.
They included Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, who claimed thousands of pounds for refurbishing her family home in her constituency, claiming her "main" home was a spare bedroom in her sister's house in London.
Tony McNulty, the employment minister, admitted claiming £60,000 for a mortgage on his parents' home while he was living in another house eight miles away.
UPDATE 10.10: BBC News leading on the story, spending 10 minutes on
it. Details of 13 Cabinet Ministers' expenses being published first.
Gordon Brown, Hazel Blears and Jack Straw under the spotlight. Brown
gave his brother £6,000 to pay half a cost of a cleaner. I dread to
think how dirty his flat was then...
=================================
TELEGRAPH (at 1125pm 7/5/09) 8.5.09
MPs' expenses: Telegraph investigation exposes allowances - reveals
Gordon Brown's payments to brother
Gordon Brown and senior members of the Cabinet are facing questions
over their use of parliamentary expenses after details of their
claims were leaked to the Daily Telegraph.
Gordon Brown and senior ministers are facing questions over their use
of parliamentary expenses after the Daily Telegraph revealed details
of their claims including payments made by the Prime Minister to his
brother.
By Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor
Gordon Brown paid Andrew Brown more than £6,000 for "cleaning
services" over the course of two years, and reclaimed the money from
the taxpayer. He insisted tonight he had done nothing wrong.
[Nothing THEY do is ever wrong! -cs]
The Prime Minister also claimed twice for the same £153 plumber's
bill - money which he paid back today after the Telegraph pointed out
the discrepancy to Downing Street.
Jack Straw, Hazel Blears and Paul Murphy are among 13 members of the
Government who have been dragged into the growing row over taxpayer-
funded allowances by the Telegraph investigation.
The disclosures show the full extent to which MPs have exploited the
expenses system to subsidise their lifestyles.
Details of MPs' expenses claims are due to be made public in July,
when 1.5 million receipts will be published by parliament under the
Freedom of Information Act, covering five years' worth of claims.
But crucial details such as the identity of people to whom money was
paid and the location of homes which MPs claimed on will be deleted
from the receipts when they are published, meaning many of the worst
apparent abuses of the system may never have been uncovered.
The Daily Telegraph has seen uncensored copies of the receipts, which
lay bare the extent to which MPs play the system to maximise the
amount of money they can claim from the taxpayer.
. Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, claimed money for three
different properties in the course of a year, and spent £5,000 on
furniture in just three months after buying the third property.
. Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, claimed back twice as much for
his council tax as he had actually paid. He later apologised for the
error, saying accountancy was not his strong point.
. Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, splashed out more than £3,000 on
a new hot water system for his second home, explaining in a letter to
the parliamentary fees office that his water was too hot.
Over the coming days, further details of claims made by MPs from all
parties will be revealed by the Telegraph.
Our investigation underlines the need for urgent reform of the
expenses system, which is currently being reviewed by the committee
for standards in public life.
In many cases, the parliamentary fees office, which administers the
expenses system, uncovered evidence of apparent abuses but the MPs
concerned were not independently investigated.
Mr Brown suffered a humiliating defeat last week when he was forced
to drop proposals for immediate reforms, which followed a series of
scandals involving other members of the cabinet.
They included Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, who claimed thousands
of pounds for refurbishing her family home in her constituency,
claiming her "main" home was a spare bedroom in her sister's house in
London.
Tony McNulty, the employment minister, admitted claiming £60,000 for
a mortgage on his parents' home while he was living in another house
eight miles away.
MPs' expenses: Telegraph reveals Gordon Brown's payments to brother
Gordon Brown and senior ministers are facing questions over their use of parliamentary expenses after the Daily Telegraph revealed details of their claims including payments made by the Prime Minister to his brother.
Gordon Brown paid Andrew Brown more than £6,000 for "cleaning services" over the course of two years, and reclaimed the money from the taxpayer. He insisted tonight he had done nothing wrong.
The Prime Minister also claimed twice for the same £153 plumber's bill - money which he paid back today after the Telegraph pointed out the discrepancy to Downing Street.
Jack Straw, Hazel Blears and Paul Murphy are among 13 members of the Government who have been dragged into the growing row over taxpayer-funded allowances by the Telegraph investigation.
The disclosures show the full extent to which MPs have exploited the expenses system to subsidise their lifestyles.
Details of MPs' expenses claims are due to be made public in July, when 1.5 million receipts will be published by parliament under the Freedom of Information Act, covering five years' worth of claims.
But crucial details such as the identity of people to whom money was paid and the location of homes which MPs claimed on will be deleted from the receipts when they are published, meaning many of the worst apparent abuses of the system may never have been uncovered.
The Daily Telegraph has seen uncensored copies of the receipts, which lay bare the extent to which MPs play the system to maximise the amount of money they can claim from the taxpayer.
• Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, claimed money for three different properties in the course of a year, and spent £5,000 on furniture in just three months after buying the third property.
• Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, claimed back twice as much for his council tax as he had actually paid. He later apologised for the error, saying accountancy was not his strong point.
• Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, splashed out more than £3,000 on a new hot water system for his second home, explaining in a letter to the parliamentary fees office that his water was too hot.
Over the coming days, further details of claims made by MPs from all parties will be revealed by the Telegraph.
Our investigation underlines the need for urgent reform of the expenses system, which is currently being reviewed by the committee for standards in public life.
In many cases, the parliamentary fees office, which administers the expenses system, uncovered evidence of apparent abuses but the MPs concerned were not independently investigated.
Mr Brown suffered a humiliating defeat last week when he was forced to drop proposals for immediate reforms, which followed a series of scandals involving other members of the cabinet.
They included Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, who claimed thousands of pounds for refurbishing her family home in her constituency, claiming her "main" home was a spare bedroom in her sister's house in London.
Tony McNulty, the employment minister, admitted claiming £60,000 for a mortgage on his parents' home while he was living in another house eight miles away.
UPDATE 10.10: BBC News leading on the story, spending 10 minutes on
it. Details of 13 Cabinet Ministers' expenses being published first.
Gordon Brown, Hazel Blears and Jack Straw under the spotlight. Brown
gave his brother £6,000 to pay half a cost of a cleaner. I dread to
think how dirty his flat was then...
=================================
TELEGRAPH (at 1125pm 7/5/09) 8.5.09
MPs' expenses: Telegraph investigation exposes allowances - reveals
Gordon Brown's payments to brother
Gordon Brown and senior members of the Cabinet are facing questions
over their use of parliamentary expenses after details of their
claims were leaked to the Daily Telegraph.
Gordon Brown and senior ministers are facing questions over their use
of parliamentary expenses after the Daily Telegraph revealed details
of their claims including payments made by the Prime Minister to his
brother.
By Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor
Gordon Brown paid Andrew Brown more than £6,000 for "cleaning
services" over the course of two years, and reclaimed the money from
the taxpayer. He insisted tonight he had done nothing wrong.
[Nothing THEY do is ever wrong! -cs]
The Prime Minister also claimed twice for the same £153 plumber's
bill - money which he paid back today after the Telegraph pointed out
the discrepancy to Downing Street.
Jack Straw, Hazel Blears and Paul Murphy are among 13 members of the
Government who have been dragged into the growing row over taxpayer-
funded allowances by the Telegraph investigation.
The disclosures show the full extent to which MPs have exploited the
expenses system to subsidise their lifestyles.
Details of MPs' expenses claims are due to be made public in July,
when 1.5 million receipts will be published by parliament under the
Freedom of Information Act, covering five years' worth of claims.
But crucial details such as the identity of people to whom money was
paid and the location of homes which MPs claimed on will be deleted
from the receipts when they are published, meaning many of the worst
apparent abuses of the system may never have been uncovered.
The Daily Telegraph has seen uncensored copies of the receipts, which
lay bare the extent to which MPs play the system to maximise the
amount of money they can claim from the taxpayer.
. Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, claimed money for three
different properties in the course of a year, and spent £5,000 on
furniture in just three months after buying the third property.
. Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, claimed back twice as much for
his council tax as he had actually paid. He later apologised for the
error, saying accountancy was not his strong point.
. Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, splashed out more than £3,000 on
a new hot water system for his second home, explaining in a letter to
the parliamentary fees office that his water was too hot.
Over the coming days, further details of claims made by MPs from all
parties will be revealed by the Telegraph.
Our investigation underlines the need for urgent reform of the
expenses system, which is currently being reviewed by the committee
for standards in public life.
In many cases, the parliamentary fees office, which administers the
expenses system, uncovered evidence of apparent abuses but the MPs
concerned were not independently investigated.
Mr Brown suffered a humiliating defeat last week when he was forced
to drop proposals for immediate reforms, which followed a series of
scandals involving other members of the cabinet.
They included Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, who claimed thousands
of pounds for refurbishing her family home in her constituency,
claiming her "main" home was a spare bedroom in her sister's house in
London.
Tony McNulty, the employment minister, admitted claiming £60,000 for
a mortgage on his parents' home while he was living in another house
eight miles away.
MPs' expenses: Telegraph reveals Gordon Brown's payments to brother
Gordon Brown and senior ministers are facing questions over their use of parliamentary expenses after the Daily Telegraph revealed details of their claims including payments made by the Prime Minister to his brother.
Gordon Brown paid Andrew Brown more than £6,000 for "cleaning services" over the course of two years, and reclaimed the money from the taxpayer. He insisted tonight he had done nothing wrong.
The Prime Minister also claimed twice for the same £153 plumber's bill - money which he paid back today after the Telegraph pointed out the discrepancy to Downing Street.
Jack Straw, Hazel Blears and Paul Murphy are among 13 members of the Government who have been dragged into the growing row over taxpayer-funded allowances by the Telegraph investigation.
The disclosures show the full extent to which MPs have exploited the expenses system to subsidise their lifestyles.
Details of MPs' expenses claims are due to be made public in July, when 1.5 million receipts will be published by parliament under the Freedom of Information Act, covering five years' worth of claims.
But crucial details such as the identity of people to whom money was paid and the location of homes which MPs claimed on will be deleted from the receipts when they are published, meaning many of the worst apparent abuses of the system may never have been uncovered.
The Daily Telegraph has seen uncensored copies of the receipts, which lay bare the extent to which MPs play the system to maximise the amount of money they can claim from the taxpayer.
• Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, claimed money for three different properties in the course of a year, and spent £5,000 on furniture in just three months after buying the third property.
• Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, claimed back twice as much for his council tax as he had actually paid. He later apologised for the error, saying accountancy was not his strong point.
• Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, splashed out more than £3,000 on a new hot water system for his second home, explaining in a letter to the parliamentary fees office that his water was too hot.
Over the coming days, further details of claims made by MPs from all parties will be revealed by the Telegraph.
Our investigation underlines the need for urgent reform of the expenses system, which is currently being reviewed by the committee for standards in public life.
In many cases, the parliamentary fees office, which administers the expenses system, uncovered evidence of apparent abuses but the MPs concerned were not independently investigated.
Mr Brown suffered a humiliating defeat last week when he was forced to drop proposals for immediate reforms, which followed a series of scandals involving other members of the cabinet.
They included Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, who claimed thousands of pounds for refurbishing her family home in her constituency, claiming her "main" home was a spare bedroom in her sister's house in London.
Tony McNulty, the employment minister, admitted claiming £60,000 for a mortgage on his parents' home while he was living in another house eight miles away.
UPDATE 10.10: BBC News leading on the story, spending 10 minutes on
it. Details of 13 Cabinet Ministers' expenses being published first.
Gordon Brown, Hazel Blears and Jack Straw under the spotlight. Brown
gave his brother £6,000 to pay half a cost of a cleaner. I dread to
think how dirty his flat was then...
=================================
TELEGRAPH (at 1125pm 7/5/09) 8.5.09
MPs' expenses: Telegraph investigation exposes allowances - reveals
Gordon Brown's payments to brother
Gordon Brown and senior members of the Cabinet are facing questions
over their use of parliamentary expenses after details of their
claims were leaked to the Daily Telegraph.
Gordon Brown and senior ministers are facing questions over their use
of parliamentary expenses after the Daily Telegraph revealed details
of their claims including payments made by the Prime Minister to his
brother.
By Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor
Gordon Brown paid Andrew Brown more than £6,000 for "cleaning
services" over the course of two years, and reclaimed the money from
the taxpayer. He insisted tonight he had done nothing wrong.
[Nothing THEY do is ever wrong! -cs]
The Prime Minister also claimed twice for the same £153 plumber's
bill - money which he paid back today after the Telegraph pointed out
the discrepancy to Downing Street.
Jack Straw, Hazel Blears and Paul Murphy are among 13 members of the
Government who have been dragged into the growing row over taxpayer-
funded allowances by the Telegraph investigation.
The disclosures show the full extent to which MPs have exploited the
expenses system to subsidise their lifestyles.
Details of MPs' expenses claims are due to be made public in July,
when 1.5 million receipts will be published by parliament under the
Freedom of Information Act, covering five years' worth of claims.
But crucial details such as the identity of people to whom money was
paid and the location of homes which MPs claimed on will be deleted
from the receipts when they are published, meaning many of the worst
apparent abuses of the system may never have been uncovered.
The Daily Telegraph has seen uncensored copies of the receipts, which
lay bare the extent to which MPs play the system to maximise the
amount of money they can claim from the taxpayer.
. Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, claimed money for three
different properties in the course of a year, and spent £5,000 on
furniture in just three months after buying the third property.
. Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, claimed back twice as much for
his council tax as he had actually paid. He later apologised for the
error, saying accountancy was not his strong point.
. Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, splashed out more than £3,000 on
a new hot water system for his second home, explaining in a letter to
the parliamentary fees office that his water was too hot.
Over the coming days, further details of claims made by MPs from all
parties will be revealed by the Telegraph.
Our investigation underlines the need for urgent reform of the
expenses system, which is currently being reviewed by the committee
for standards in public life.
In many cases, the parliamentary fees office, which administers the
expenses system, uncovered evidence of apparent abuses but the MPs
concerned were not independently investigated.
Mr Brown suffered a humiliating defeat last week when he was forced
to drop proposals for immediate reforms, which followed a series of
scandals involving other members of the cabinet.
They included Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, who claimed thousands
of pounds for refurbishing her family home in her constituency,
claiming her "main" home was a spare bedroom in her sister's house in
London.
Tony McNulty, the employment minister, admitted claiming £60,000 for
a mortgage on his parents' home while he was living in another house
eight miles away.
MPs' expenses: Telegraph reveals Gordon Brown's payments to brother
Gordon Brown and senior ministers are facing questions over their use of parliamentary expenses after the Daily Telegraph revealed details of their claims including payments made by the Prime Minister to his brother.
Gordon Brown paid Andrew Brown more than £6,000 for "cleaning services" over the course of two years, and reclaimed the money from the taxpayer. He insisted tonight he had done nothing wrong.
The Prime Minister also claimed twice for the same £153 plumber's bill - money which he paid back today after the Telegraph pointed out the discrepancy to Downing Street.
Jack Straw, Hazel Blears and Paul Murphy are among 13 members of the Government who have been dragged into the growing row over taxpayer-funded allowances by the Telegraph investigation.
The disclosures show the full extent to which MPs have exploited the expenses system to subsidise their lifestyles.
Details of MPs' expenses claims are due to be made public in July, when 1.5 million receipts will be published by parliament under the Freedom of Information Act, covering five years' worth of claims.
But crucial details such as the identity of people to whom money was paid and the location of homes which MPs claimed on will be deleted from the receipts when they are published, meaning many of the worst apparent abuses of the system may never have been uncovered.
The Daily Telegraph has seen uncensored copies of the receipts, which lay bare the extent to which MPs play the system to maximise the amount of money they can claim from the taxpayer.
• Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, claimed money for three different properties in the course of a year, and spent £5,000 on furniture in just three months after buying the third property.
• Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, claimed back twice as much for his council tax as he had actually paid. He later apologised for the error, saying accountancy was not his strong point.
• Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, splashed out more than £3,000 on a new hot water system for his second home, explaining in a letter to the parliamentary fees office that his water was too hot.
Over the coming days, further details of claims made by MPs from all parties will be revealed by the Telegraph.
Our investigation underlines the need for urgent reform of the expenses system, which is currently being reviewed by the committee for standards in public life.
In many cases, the parliamentary fees office, which administers the expenses system, uncovered evidence of apparent abuses but the MPs concerned were not independently investigated.
Mr Brown suffered a humiliating defeat last week when he was forced to drop proposals for immediate reforms, which followed a series of scandals involving other members of the cabinet.
They included Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, who claimed thousands of pounds for refurbishing her family home in her constituency, claiming her "main" home was a spare bedroom in her sister's house in London.
Tony McNulty, the employment minister, admitted claiming £60,000 for a mortgage on his parents' home while he was living in another house eight miles away.
UPDATE 10.10: BBC News leading on the story, spending 10 minutes on
it. Details of 13 Cabinet Ministers' expenses being published first.
Gordon Brown, Hazel Blears and Jack Straw under the spotlight. Brown
gave his brother £6,000 to pay half a cost of a cleaner. I dread to
think how dirty his flat was then...
=================================
TELEGRAPH (at 1125pm 7/5/09) 8.5.09
MPs' expenses: Telegraph investigation exposes allowances - reveals
Gordon Brown's payments to brother
Gordon Brown and senior members of the Cabinet are facing questions
over their use of parliamentary expenses after details of their
claims were leaked to the Daily Telegraph.
Gordon Brown and senior ministers are facing questions over their use
of parliamentary expenses after the Daily Telegraph revealed details
of their claims including payments made by the Prime Minister to his
brother.
By Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor
Gordon Brown paid Andrew Brown more than £6,000 for "cleaning
services" over the course of two years, and reclaimed the money from
the taxpayer. He insisted tonight he had done nothing wrong.
[Nothing THEY do is ever wrong! -cs]
The Prime Minister also claimed twice for the same £153 plumber's
bill - money which he paid back today after the Telegraph pointed out
the discrepancy to Downing Street.
Jack Straw, Hazel Blears and Paul Murphy are among 13 members of the
Government who have been dragged into the growing row over taxpayer-
funded allowances by the Telegraph investigation.
The disclosures show the full extent to which MPs have exploited the
expenses system to subsidise their lifestyles.
Details of MPs' expenses claims are due to be made public in July,
when 1.5 million receipts will be published by parliament under the
Freedom of Information Act, covering five years' worth of claims.
But crucial details such as the identity of people to whom money was
paid and the location of homes which MPs claimed on will be deleted
from the receipts when they are published, meaning many of the worst
apparent abuses of the system may never have been uncovered.
The Daily Telegraph has seen uncensored copies of the receipts, which
lay bare the extent to which MPs play the system to maximise the
amount of money they can claim from the taxpayer.
. Hazel Blears, the Communities Secretary, claimed money for three
different properties in the course of a year, and spent £5,000 on
furniture in just three months after buying the third property.
. Jack Straw, the Justice Secretary, claimed back twice as much for
his council tax as he had actually paid. He later apologised for the
error, saying accountancy was not his strong point.
. Paul Murphy, the Welsh Secretary, splashed out more than £3,000 on
a new hot water system for his second home, explaining in a letter to
the parliamentary fees office that his water was too hot.
Over the coming days, further details of claims made by MPs from all
parties will be revealed by the Telegraph.
Our investigation underlines the need for urgent reform of the
expenses system, which is currently being reviewed by the committee
for standards in public life.
In many cases, the parliamentary fees office, which administers the
expenses system, uncovered evidence of apparent abuses but the MPs
concerned were not independently investigated.
Mr Brown suffered a humiliating defeat last week when he was forced
to drop proposals for immediate reforms, which followed a series of
scandals involving other members of the cabinet.
They included Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, who claimed thousands
of pounds for refurbishing her family home in her constituency,
claiming her "main" home was a spare bedroom in her sister's house in
London.
Tony McNulty, the employment minister, admitted claiming £60,000 for
a mortgage on his parents' home while he was living in another house
eight miles away.
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