21/01/2010

Shadow Chancellor Repays Expenses

Top Tory George Osborne will pay back almost £2,000 to Parliament after breaching expenses rules.

The Westminster standards commissioner found Mr Osborne had wrongly claimed £1,936 under the MPs' second homes allowance.

A complaint was lodged against the Shadow Chancellor by Labour activists, who accused him of over-claiming on the mortgage payments for his Cheshire constituency home.

An official report described the Tatton MP's indiscretion as "unintended and relatively minor".

Mr Osborne has accepted that he breached the rules and had already offered to repay the amount.

The Shadow Chancellor has always maintained there was no impropriety, and said the report had supported this.

MP ruling body, the Standards and Privileges Committee, said Mr Osborne had already repaid £270 of the £1,936 wrongly claimed and would be asked to repay the remaining £1,666.

He was accused of over-claiming second home mortgage payments of nearly £5,000.

It was also put to Mr Osborne that he had claimed expenses against his main home for a period of time.

However, he was told at the time by the Fees Office that his claims would be within the rules.

It was decided he had not personally gained from the claims.

(PR/BMcc)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

02 July 2009
George Osborne To Face Expenses Investigation
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne is to be investigated by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner over his expenses. John Lyon, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, confirmed he is investigating a complaint about Osborne, who has been criticised for the way he "flipped" the designation of his second home.
06 October 2009
Tories Would Freeze Public Wages
A Tory government would freeze public sector pay, the Shadow Chancellor told his party's Manchester conference today. Outlining the Conservatives' spending plans, George Osborne said he would halt pay increases for judges, doctors, teachers and emergencies services staff in 2011.
21 September 2015
£2bn Guarantee Announced For Nuclear Power Plant
The government has announce financial support of £2 billion for a new nuclear power station in Somerset. Announcing the government guarantee Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, said that nuclear power stations are "essential to make sure the lights stay on".
22 December 2011
Government To Waive Military Wives' Tax
The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced the Government will waive VAT on sales of the Military Wives choir's Christmas single, which is set to be this year's Christmas number one.
19 June 2013
Report Calls For Jail Terms For 'Reckless' Bankers
A long-awaited banking report has called for the jailing for senior bankers guilty of reckless misconduct. Following a number of banking scandals last year, chancellor George Osborne established the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards to review the industry and the conduct of bankers.