Labour Peer's Expenses
The latest figure to get caught up in the Westminster expenses debacle is Labour peer and former Treasury minister – Robert Sheldon.
According to the Sunday Times, Lord Sheldon claimed more than £130,000 in expenses from the House of Lords by designating a house in Manchester as his “main home”.
A house he gave to his son six years ago - in 2003.
Peers who live outside the capital can collect £174 a night tax-free as reimbursement for the cost of a hotel or maintaining a second home while attending parliament, according to the newspaper report.
Lord Sheldon lives with his wife in London - but said his main residence was his former family home in Manchester - where he was previously an MP.
The House of Lords expenses regime allowed Lord Sheldon to claim between £12,000 and £22,000 a year - even though he already had a mortgage-free home in London.
The noble lord continued to claim the allowance after he gave the house to his son in April 2003 - and has since received payments totalling more than £130,000.
The Sunday Times is at pains to make clear that Lord Sheldon did not break any rules in making these claims.
Because the current rules allow their lordships to designate any property as their main home – and to claim expenses of £174 a night - even when no direct costs are actually incurred.
And that’s why the current ‘rules’ are an insult to people’s intelligence - and common sense.
According to the Sunday Times, Lord Sheldon claimed more than £130,000 in expenses from the House of Lords by designating a house in Manchester as his “main home”.
A house he gave to his son six years ago - in 2003.
Peers who live outside the capital can collect £174 a night tax-free as reimbursement for the cost of a hotel or maintaining a second home while attending parliament, according to the newspaper report.
Lord Sheldon lives with his wife in London - but said his main residence was his former family home in Manchester - where he was previously an MP.
The House of Lords expenses regime allowed Lord Sheldon to claim between £12,000 and £22,000 a year - even though he already had a mortgage-free home in London.
The noble lord continued to claim the allowance after he gave the house to his son in April 2003 - and has since received payments totalling more than £130,000.
The Sunday Times is at pains to make clear that Lord Sheldon did not break any rules in making these claims.
Because the current rules allow their lordships to designate any property as their main home – and to claim expenses of £174 a night - even when no direct costs are actually incurred.
And that’s why the current ‘rules’ are an insult to people’s intelligence - and common sense.
