Alistair Darling pledged today to repay some of his expenses following allegations that he claimed on two homes at once. The Daily Telegraph reported that in July 2007, 10 days after becoming Chancellor, Mr Darling submitted a £1,004 claim for service charges on his south London flat up to December of that year. The paper said that during that period he moved into Downing Street and began renting out the flat. Mr Darling insisted today he had not claimed for two homes at the same time, but said he would be repaying some of the cash. In a statement, he said: "The allegation I claimed for two houses at the same time is untrue. "I became Chancellor in June 2007. In September I moved from my London flat to live in Downing Street. I made no further claims on that flat. "In October 2007 the flat was let and the tenant moved in. The service charge was paid in advance in six-monthly intervals. When I reclaimed the cost of the service charge in July 1, I was living in the flat.
The Daily Telegraph reported that in July 2007, 10 days after becoming Chancellor, Mr Darling submitted a £1,004 claim for service charges on his south London flat up to December of that year.
The paper said that during that period he moved into Downing Street and began renting out the flat.
Mr Darling insisted today he had not claimed for two homes at the same time, but said he would be repaying some of the cash.
In a statement, he said: "The allegation I claimed for two houses at the same time is untrue.
"I became Chancellor in June 2007. In September I moved from my London flat to live in Downing Street. I made no further claims on that flat.
"In October 2007 the flat was let and the tenant moved in. The service charge was paid in advance in six-monthly intervals. When I reclaimed the cost of the service charge in July 1, I was living in the flat.
Alistair Darling, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has been forced to announce that he would repay part of a parliamentary expenses claim on his London flat hours after denying that he had breached parliamentary rules. Mr Darling reacted after fresh allegations in The Daily Telegraph this morning that he had broken House of Commons rules by claiming second home expenses on two properties at the same time. Interviewed this morning, the Prime Minister cleared his Chancellor of any wrongdoing over the claims but refused to deny reports that he means to demote him in a reshuffle.
Alistair Darling, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has been forced to announce that he would repay part of a parliamentary expenses claim on his London flat hours after denying that he had breached parliamentary rules.
Mr Darling reacted after fresh allegations in The Daily Telegraph this morning that he had broken House of Commons rules by claiming second home expenses on two properties at the same time.
Interviewed this morning, the Prime Minister cleared his Chancellor of any wrongdoing over the claims but refused to deny reports that he means to demote him in a reshuffle.
So, how come darling gets to say sorry, pay it back and then walk away with a fab job, a cushy pension and likely as not a retirement spot in the House of Lords, kerr ching, thank you very much, don't mind if i do ?
It ain't right. and until they understand that simple fact, the anger will continue. keep to the Fen Causeway
All the while they've been salting our money away in their own gilded layrinths for their own pleasures.
Screw 'em. I want justice, and if I cna't have that then I'll settle for the populist rolls of the tumbril and the smell of careers burning on pyres. keep to the Fen Causeway
Or is this just a distraction? In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
But they're all lurking in the background, a sense that things are decided we don't agree with, wouldn't agree with and now this is the straw that breaks the came's back. The realisation that MPs are getting away with things that anybody else would go to jail for. that in any other walk of life would be crimes resuling in jail. That contrast, that unfairness, cannot be explained away, can't be laughed off. They're rubbing our noses in their superiority, and they think they can get away with it, think they're better than us.
Well, Earth calling Westminster. Here's a newsflash.... keep to the Fen Causeway
