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Tory MP claims £5,000 for gates | Tory MP claims £5,000 for gates |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The latest expenses revelations by the Daily Telegraph show a Conservative MP claimed almost £5,000 to have automatic gates installed at his home. | The latest expenses revelations by the Daily Telegraph show a Conservative MP claimed almost £5,000 to have automatic gates installed at his home. |
Shadow business secretary Jonathan Djanogly said they are security gates and were installed at his Huntingdon constituency home on police advice. | Shadow business secretary Jonathan Djanogly said they are security gates and were installed at his Huntingdon constituency home on police advice. |
The paper says the MP also claimed £13,962 for cleaning over four years. | The paper says the MP also claimed £13,962 for cleaning over four years. |
It also reports claims from one Labour MP for a hotel with his girlfriend and another to fund a home for his friend. | It also reports claims from one Labour MP for a hotel with his girlfriend and another to fund a home for his friend. |
According to the Telegraph, the wooden gates at Mr Djanogly's house cost £4,936 and can be opened by a remote control while he is still sitting in his car. | According to the Telegraph, the wooden gates at Mr Djanogly's house cost £4,936 and can be opened by a remote control while he is still sitting in his car. |
'I completely understand' | 'I completely understand' |
In a statement, the MP defended the gates as a measure to protect him from potential reprisal attacks by animal rights activists. | In a statement, the MP defended the gates as a measure to protect him from potential reprisal attacks by animal rights activists. |
He said: "The automatic gates are integrated with a CCTV system which I installed with police advice after I had security threats following from my representation of constituents' interests at Huntingdon Life Sciences." | He said: "The automatic gates are integrated with a CCTV system which I installed with police advice after I had security threats following from my representation of constituents' interests at Huntingdon Life Sciences." |
Mr Djanogly added: "I want to stress that I completely understand the public's concerns about MPs' expenses and my party's absolute determination to respond to that concern." | Mr Djanogly added: "I want to stress that I completely understand the public's concerns about MPs' expenses and my party's absolute determination to respond to that concern." |
Other expenses claims by him highlighted by the paper include £13,962 for cleaning and £12,951 for gardening at his home, which the paper reports did not have a mortgage, over a four-year period. | Other expenses claims by him highlighted by the paper include £13,962 for cleaning and £12,951 for gardening at his home, which the paper reports did not have a mortgage, over a four-year period. |
Mr Djanogly said the cleaning and gardening claims were "allowable" expenses. | Mr Djanogly said the cleaning and gardening claims were "allowable" expenses. |
He has agreed to repay £25,000 after talking to the Conservative scrutiny panel set up by party leader David Cameron to study his MPs' claims. | He has agreed to repay £25,000 after talking to the Conservative scrutiny panel set up by party leader David Cameron to study his MPs' claims. |
Saturday's Telegraph also reports Labour MP Khalid Mahmood claimed for £1,350 to stay in a five-star west London hotel with his girlfriend, after separating from his partner, with whom he shared a home in Wembley, north west London. | Saturday's Telegraph also reports Labour MP Khalid Mahmood claimed for £1,350 to stay in a five-star west London hotel with his girlfriend, after separating from his partner, with whom he shared a home in Wembley, north west London. |
The paper says another Labour MP, Northern Ireland Minister Paul Goggins, allows a university friend to live rent-free in a home that is paid for by the taxpayer. | The paper says another Labour MP, Northern Ireland Minister Paul Goggins, allows a university friend to live rent-free in a home that is paid for by the taxpayer. |
And in a fourth set of claims published in Saturday's edition, Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin used £50,000 in expenses to pay his sister-in-law rent. |
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