Darling’s four ‘second homes’
CHANCELLOR Alistair Darling switched the property designated his “second home” four times in four years for Commons expenses purposes, it was revealed yesterday.
The administrative changes allowed him to claim thousands of pounds from the taxpayer towards the cost of his Edinburgh home and London flat.
The man at the helm of the Treasury originally said his main residence was a small flat in London he shared with another Labour MP.
This allowed him to use the second home allowance on his family property in Edinburgh. In September 2005, he told Commons authorities that Edinburgh was now his first home and transferred his second home allowance to London.
He then bought a flat near the Oval cricket ground for £226,000 for which taxpayers paid the stamp duty of £2,260 and £1,238 in legal fees. Mr Darling also claimed £9,500 to furnish the new property. In June 2007, Mr Darling received a grace-and-favour Downing Street apartment after being appointed Chancellor.
Later that year, he declared that 11 Downing Street was now his “second home”. But within a few months he changed his “second home” again – this time, back to his Edinburgh home, where he claims £1,200 a month in council tax and mortgage.
Mr Darling said yesterday: “The claims were made within House of Commons rules which were designed to reflect the fact that MPs have to meet the cost of living in two places.”
