This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk_politics/8131067.stm
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Osborne facing expenses inquiry | Osborne facing expenses inquiry |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Shadow chancellor George Osborne is facing an inquiry by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner into aspects of his expenses claims. | Shadow chancellor George Osborne is facing an inquiry by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner into aspects of his expenses claims. |
| The move came after a complaint by his constituency's Labour Party chairman. | The move came after a complaint by his constituency's Labour Party chairman. |
| The watchdog's probe relates to Mr Osborne's second home designation between 2001 and 2003 and mortgage claims he made after 2003. | The watchdog's probe relates to Mr Osborne's second home designation between 2001 and 2003 and mortgage claims he made after 2003. |
| A spokesman for Mr Osborne said the complaint was "political" and his expenses claims were above-board. | A spokesman for Mr Osborne said the complaint was "political" and his expenses claims were above-board. |
| The Commissioner John Lyon launched his investigation in response to a complaint by Laurie Burton, the chair of the local Labour Party in Mr Osborne's Tatton constituency. | The Commissioner John Lyon launched his investigation in response to a complaint by Laurie Burton, the chair of the local Labour Party in Mr Osborne's Tatton constituency. |
| Mr Burton alleges that, between 2001 and 2003, Mr Osborne wrongly identified his main home for the purposes of claiming a second home allowance. | Mr Burton alleges that, between 2001 and 2003, Mr Osborne wrongly identified his main home for the purposes of claiming a second home allowance. |
| He also alleges that, from 2003, Mr Osborne claimed for mortgage payments "that were not necessarily incurred". | He also alleges that, from 2003, Mr Osborne claimed for mortgage payments "that were not necessarily incurred". |
| He told the BBC that he believed Mr Osborne had "manipulated the rules to his own advantage" and denied his complaint was politically motivated. | |
| "I share the outrage and anger of the great majority of people in this country, of all political persuasions, who have seen what has gone on in Parliament, who don't like what they see and like even less the fact that some MPs just refuse to accept what they have done and refuse to pay any money back." | |
| 'Relaxed' | 'Relaxed' |
| A spokesman for Mr Osborne explained that he had always made it clear that his Cheshire property was his second home since he was first elected in 2001. | A spokesman for Mr Osborne explained that he had always made it clear that his Cheshire property was his second home since he was first elected in 2001. |
| However, he said the MP had told the Commons authorities in 2001 that he had just increased his interest only mortgage on his London home to cover the cost of purchasing his Cheshire property - and was advised to claim against that until he could change the arrangements without incurring penalty fees. | However, he said the MP had told the Commons authorities in 2001 that he had just increased his interest only mortgage on his London home to cover the cost of purchasing his Cheshire property - and was advised to claim against that until he could change the arrangements without incurring penalty fees. |
| There has been absolutely no impropriety and any suggestion of such is wrong Spokesman for George Osborne | There has been absolutely no impropriety and any suggestion of such is wrong Spokesman for George Osborne |
| This Mr Osborne did in 2003, securing a mortgage against the Cheshire property. | This Mr Osborne did in 2003, securing a mortgage against the Cheshire property. |
| Later that year, when the Commons asked MPs to explicitly state what their main and second homes were, Mr Osborne designated the Cheshire property as his second home. | Later that year, when the Commons asked MPs to explicitly state what their main and second homes were, Mr Osborne designated the Cheshire property as his second home. |
| "George Osborne has never switched designation for personal advantage," his spokesman said. | "George Osborne has never switched designation for personal advantage," his spokesman said. |
| "There has been absolutely no impropriety and any suggestion of such is wrong." | "There has been absolutely no impropriety and any suggestion of such is wrong." |
| He added that Mr Osborne was "relaxed" about the probe as he had always been "open" about his expenses. | He added that Mr Osborne was "relaxed" about the probe as he had always been "open" about his expenses. |
| Mr Lyon has made it clear he will not be looking into claims made by the Daily Telegraph that Mr Osborne avoided capital gains tax on the sale of his London home in 2006 - allegations Mr Osborne denies. | |
| Mr Osborne is among more than 90 Tory MPs who have agreed to repay money since the expenses scandal erupted, returning £1,195.49 to the Commons authorities. | |
| He repaid the £440 cost of a late-night taxi trip between his constituency and London in 2005, £654 for a wrongly calculated insurance bill and £99 for an administrative error on a mortgage claim. | |
| The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner is already investigating two Tory MPs - Brian Binley and Anne Main - over aspects of their expenses, as well as ex-Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and ex-Home Office minister Tony McNulty. | The Parliamentary Standards Commissioner is already investigating two Tory MPs - Brian Binley and Anne Main - over aspects of their expenses, as well as ex-Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and ex-Home Office minister Tony McNulty. |