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| Ministers defend expenses claims | Ministers defend expenses claims |
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| Ministers have been defending their expenses claims after details were leaked to a newspaper, saying all were within the rules and in "good faith". | Ministers have been defending their expenses claims after details were leaked to a newspaper, saying all were within the rules and in "good faith". |
| Downing Street says there was "nothing wrong" with Gordon Brown's £6,500 claim to pay his brother for a cleaner. | Downing Street says there was "nothing wrong" with Gordon Brown's £6,500 claim to pay his brother for a cleaner. |
| Lord Mandelson said claims made, after he said he would quit as an MP, for his second home were for essential repairs. | Lord Mandelson said claims made, after he said he would quit as an MP, for his second home were for essential repairs. |
| The Telegraph has published claims by 13 Labour ministers and says those made by MPs of other parties would follow. | The Telegraph has published claims by 13 Labour ministers and says those made by MPs of other parties would follow. |
| But some ministers have expressed anger that details had been leaked, before they were due to be published in July, and accusations that it was a politically motivated story by a Conservative-supporting newspaper. | But some ministers have expressed anger that details had been leaked, before they were due to be published in July, and accusations that it was a politically motivated story by a Conservative-supporting newspaper. |
| 'Wholly unjustified' | 'Wholly unjustified' |
| Gordon Brown, who is in Bradford for a memorial ceremony, has said a "better system" for expenses is needed - but one that recognises that MPs must live in two places, Westminster and their constituency. | Gordon Brown, who is in Bradford for a memorial ceremony, has said a "better system" for expenses is needed - but one that recognises that MPs must live in two places, Westminster and their constituency. |
| "The system doesn't work," he told the BBC. "I've said it doesn't work, it's got to be changed. We voted for change and that change has got to come quickly." | "The system doesn't work," he told the BBC. "I've said it doesn't work, it's got to be changed. We voted for change and that change has got to come quickly." |
| EXPENSES REACTION Gordon Brown href="/1/hi/uk_politics/8040078.stm">Hazel Blears href="/1/hi/uk_politics/8039770.stm">Jack Straw Harriet Harman Lord Mandelson href="/1/hi/uk_politics/8039108.stm">Expenses under scrutiny | |
| His spokesman said any suggestion there was something wrong in the arrangement whereby Mr Brown paid his brother for a cleaner they both shared was "wholly unjustified". | His spokesman said any suggestion there was something wrong in the arrangement whereby Mr Brown paid his brother for a cleaner they both shared was "wholly unjustified". |
| Meanwhile three Labour MPs, former home secretary Charles Clarke, Sir Stuart Bell - who sits on the House of Commons supervisory body - and backbencher David Winnick, have said all receipts should now be published immediately. | Meanwhile three Labour MPs, former home secretary Charles Clarke, Sir Stuart Bell - who sits on the House of Commons supervisory body - and backbencher David Winnick, have said all receipts should now be published immediately. |
| The Telegraph revelations include Communities Secretary Hazel Blears claiming three different properties were her "second home" within a year - the first her Salford constituency, the second two in London. MPs can claim up to £24,000 a year towards the costs of their second home. | The Telegraph revelations include Communities Secretary Hazel Blears claiming three different properties were her "second home" within a year - the first her Salford constituency, the second two in London. MPs can claim up to £24,000 a year towards the costs of their second home. |
| Ms Blears said: "All of my claims were entirely in accordance with the rules as they are, I just want to make it clear that I have only ever had one small, one-bedroom flat at any time in London." But she did not answer questions about whether the claims were justified. | Ms Blears said: "All of my claims were entirely in accordance with the rules as they are, I just want to make it clear that I have only ever had one small, one-bedroom flat at any time in London." But she did not answer questions about whether the claims were justified. |
| 'In good faith' | 'In good faith' |
| The newspaper says Justice Secretary Jack Straw had to refund £1,500 expenses that were overpaid, after he claimed for council tax paid at the full rate - when he was getting a 50% discount. | The newspaper says Justice Secretary Jack Straw had to refund £1,500 expenses that were overpaid, after he claimed for council tax paid at the full rate - when he was getting a 50% discount. |
| He told the BBC: "I have acted in complete good faith and within the rules. It is an error, which obviously I wish hadn't happened, but in circumstances in which I was incredibly busy during that period - that is not an excuse, it is just an explanation." | He told the BBC: "I have acted in complete good faith and within the rules. It is an error, which obviously I wish hadn't happened, but in circumstances in which I was incredibly busy during that period - that is not an excuse, it is just an explanation." |
| What I don't want to see is for people to feel that all MPs are corrupt and the system is rotten because I don't believe that to be the case Harriet Harman Expense claims - key details Nick Robinson's view What MPs can claim on expenses Q&A: MPs' expenses | What I don't want to see is for people to feel that all MPs are corrupt and the system is rotten because I don't believe that to be the case Harriet Harman Expense claims - key details Nick Robinson's view What MPs can claim on expenses Q&A: MPs' expenses |
| The Daily Telegraph reported that Lord Mandelson made claims for £2,850 for his constituency home after saying he was stepping down as an MP - then went on to sell it for a £136,000 profit. | The Daily Telegraph reported that Lord Mandelson made claims for £2,850 for his constituency home after saying he was stepping down as an MP - then went on to sell it for a £136,000 profit. |
| But the business secretary told the BBC he had to repair the roof, which had been letting in water. He said: "What the Daily Telegraph are doing ... they are creating the perception of wrongdoing in order to provoke a public reaction." | But the business secretary told the BBC he had to repair the roof, which had been letting in water. He said: "What the Daily Telegraph are doing ... they are creating the perception of wrongdoing in order to provoke a public reaction." |
| The Telegraph has not confirmed if it paid for the details but says it was in the public interest to publish them and they will be publishing details of other parties' frontbench teams - as well as backbenchers' claims. | The Telegraph has not confirmed if it paid for the details but says it was in the public interest to publish them and they will be publishing details of other parties' frontbench teams - as well as backbenchers' claims. |
| 'Systemic abuse' | 'Systemic abuse' |
| They also say the Commons authorities had planned to blank out the addresses of MPs, potentially concealing the way some had regularly changed homes in order to maximise their income. | They also say the Commons authorities had planned to blank out the addresses of MPs, potentially concealing the way some had regularly changed homes in order to maximise their income. |
| The newspaper's chief political commentator Benedict Brogan said: "For the first time after years of trying to get this information, Telegraph readers and the general public will have an idea of the systemic abuse of parliamentary allowances that has been going on for years and has grown up out of a system that clearly is no longer suitable for what it's designed to do." | The newspaper's chief political commentator Benedict Brogan said: "For the first time after years of trying to get this information, Telegraph readers and the general public will have an idea of the systemic abuse of parliamentary allowances that has been going on for years and has grown up out of a system that clearly is no longer suitable for what it's designed to do." |
| HAVE YOUR SAYHaving a clean house is not requisite to being an MP, so why are we paying for it?Alex, Pontyclun Send us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAYHaving a clean house is not requisite to being an MP, so why are we paying for it?Alex, Pontyclun Send us your comments |
| But Sir Stuart Bell said he believed the leak had breached the Data Protection Act and may refer it to the information commissioner. | But Sir Stuart Bell said he believed the leak had breached the Data Protection Act and may refer it to the information commissioner. |
| Commons leader Harriet Harman - who does not receive the second homes allowance as she represents an inner London constituency - defended ministers' claims in a round of interviews on Friday. | Commons leader Harriet Harman - who does not receive the second homes allowance as she represents an inner London constituency - defended ministers' claims in a round of interviews on Friday. |
| She would not comment on individual cases because she said she did not know the details. | She would not comment on individual cases because she said she did not know the details. |
| But she acknowledged it "looks bad" and people were "angry", she said changes were being made. | But she acknowledged it "looks bad" and people were "angry", she said changes were being made. |
| "What I don't want to see is for people to feel that all MPs are corrupt and the system is rotten because I don't believe that to be the case," she told the BBC. | "What I don't want to see is for people to feel that all MPs are corrupt and the system is rotten because I don't believe that to be the case," she told the BBC. |
| The receipts to back up claims made by all MPs since 2004 under the second homes allowance are being digitised and edited ahead of their publication in June. | The receipts to back up claims made by all MPs since 2004 under the second homes allowance are being digitised and edited ahead of their publication in June. |
| The Commons authorities fought and lost a High Court battle last year to prevent their publication under the Freedom of Information Act. | The Commons authorities fought and lost a High Court battle last year to prevent their publication under the Freedom of Information Act. |
| Last week MPs voted through some changes to the second homes allowances including making all claims require a receipt - not just those over £25 as previously - and stopping MPs representing greater London constituencies from claiming it. | Last week MPs voted through some changes to the second homes allowances including making all claims require a receipt - not just those over £25 as previously - and stopping MPs representing greater London constituencies from claiming it. |
| But more widescale reform has been left to an independent body - Sir Christopher Kelly's committee on standards in public life - which is carrying out a review and is expected to report back by the end of the year. | But more widescale reform has been left to an independent body - Sir Christopher Kelly's committee on standards in public life - which is carrying out a review and is expected to report back by the end of the year. |