Tory expenses: Clearing moats, hanging chandeliers and helipad work – all publicly funded

Published on Tuesday 12 May 2009 00:30

THE expenses of senior Conservatives were put under the spotlight last night, with further damaging claims emerging. Here are the latest revelations:

&#149 Douglas Hogg, a former agriculture secretary, spent more than 2,000 clearing the moat on his Lincolnshire estate. Amazingly, public money was also used to help pay for work on Mr Hogg's stables and even for his piano to be tuned.

&#149 James Arbuthnot claimed for pool maintenance as well as 2,433 for the cost of a housekeeper and 2,749 for work on trees, it was reported.

Eton-educated Mr Arbuthnot is the chairman of the Defence Select Committee.

In total, he claimed 108,062 on his second home in five years, the most available under the MPs' allowances system.

&#149 Sir Michael Spicer, chairman of the powerful Tory backbench 1922 Committee, spent 5,650 of taxpayers' money having his garden maintained. An invoice detailed "hedge cutting" and "helipad". He also claimed for the hanging of a chandelier at his manor house.

&#149 Sir Alan Haselhurst, deputy Speaker of the Commons, also claimed for gardening – 12,000 over five years.

&#149 Former Home Secretary David Davis claimed for more than 10,000 of home renovations and furnishings, including a new 5,700 portico.

&#149 Backbench MP David Heathcoat-Amory was named as the Conservative who had claimed more than 380 for horse manure.

&#149 David Willetts: the shadow innovation, universities and skills secretary claimed over 100 to replace 25 lightbulbs at his second home in west London.

&#149 Chris Grayling: the shadow home secretary, received thousands of pounds to renovate a London flat 17 miles from his constituency home. Despite already owning three properties within the M25, he bought the flat with loans subsidised by the taxpayer.

&#149 Francis Maude, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, claimed almost 35,000 over two years for a mortgage on a London flat a few minutes' walk from a house he owned, but rented out.

&#149 David Cameron, the Tory leader, put 141,820 on his second home allowance over five years. The majority of his claims were for mortgage interest and utility bills for his constituency home.

&#149 Oliver Letwin claimed over 2,000 to replace a leaking pipe under his tennis court.

The taxpayer also picked up the tab for regular services to his Aga.

&#149 Nick Herbert, the shadow environment secretary, claimed back 10,000 of the 14,700 stamp duty when he bought a home with his partner in his constituency.

&#149 Alan Duncan, the shadow leader of the Commons, claimed thousands of pounds for his garden before agreeing the spending "could be considered excessive".

&#149 Andrew Lansley, the shadow health secretary, spent thousands of pounds renovating a thatched Tudor country cottage – and sold it shortly afterwards. He then "flipped" his expenses to a Georgian flat in London, and claimed for thousands of pounds in furnishings.

&#149 Michael Gove, a close ally of Mr Cameron, spent more than 7,000 in five months furnishing a London property in 2006 before "flipping" his second home designation to a new property in Surrey, for which he claimed more than 13,000 in stamp duty and other fees.

&#149 Ken Clarke, the former Chancellor, was apparently repeatedly asked, because of poor book-keeping, to submit receipts for thousands of pounds for security and cleaning at his second home.