West Sussex MP angry over 'anti-gay bias'
ARUNDEL and South Downs MP Nick Herbert has accused a national newspaper of anti-gay discrimination, after it published details of expenses he claimed for a house shared with his civil partner.
The Daily Telegraph included Mr Herbert in revelations about expenses claimed by Tory shadow cabinet members, as part of its continuing series on claims made by MPs and government ministers which have triggered a huge national debate and apologies from party leaders.
The paper said Mr Herbert, whose constituency includes Storrington and Pulborough, had charged taxpayers more than 10,000 for stamp duty and fees when he and his partner, Jason Eades, bought their terraced house in Arundel less than a year after he was elected MP in 2005.
Together, they took out a mortgage for almost the entire 490,000 purchase price, and since then, on top of the stamp duty and fees, Mr Herbert had claimed more than 65,000 for mortgage interest payments, "despite his partner's name also being on the property's deeds".
Civil partner
Mr Herbert, who is also shadow environment secretary, told the Telegraph: "My partner and I purchased a house in Arundel after I was elected in 2005 and I have claimed for some of the cost in accordance with the rules which treat partners and civil partners in the same way as spouses."
But as the controversy surrounding MPs' expenses intensified, Mr Herbert issued a further statement to the Herald yesterday (Wednesday, May 13), saying he was "surprised and disappointed" the Telegraph had implied he had done something wrong.
The paper's sole objection had been to his partner co-owning the house, but it had not raised similar concerns over second homes co-owned by MPs' married spouses.
No flipping
He said: "After I was elected in 2005, I realised that I would need a place in the constituency as well as London, as the extraordinary hours of the job would make daily commuting unrealistic, so my partner Jason and I purchased a second home in Arundel.
"I have claimed towards some of the cost of this, but only for some of the stamp duty (a one-off payment) and monthly mortgage interest.
"We make the capital repayments ourselves.
"I do not claim for any household items, and we have not 'flipped' to re-designate our main home, as it's always been clear that we spend more nights a week in London than in West Sussex.
"We always assumed that we would pay capital gains tax on our house in Arundel, and we thought it was right to pay full council tax both in London and West Sussex – we do not claim any discount.
Discrimination
"I was therefore surprised and disappointed when the Daily Telegraph implied this week that I had done something wrong.
"Their sole objection was that my second home is co-owned by Jason, but they did not raise this concern in relation to other MPs whose second homes are co-owned by their husband or wife.
"I believe that it's right that the Commons rules are non-discriminatory by treating partners and civil partners in the same way as spouses.
"David Cameron took the same view, and that is why I do not appear in the list of shadow cabinet members who have been asked to repay claims."
Let down
Mr Herbert said he understood the public's anger about unjustifiable expense claims and was "very sorry indeed that my party has let everyone down so badly".
He strongly believed MPs should claim expenses only when absolutely necessary, and that the public had a right to know how the money was spent.
Mr Herbert claimed 141,036 in 2007-08 (the latest figure available)
In the full list of 645 MPs, his approved claim was listed in value as 402nd.
Have your say
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Worthing MPs Tim Loughton and Peter Bottomley call for reform. Read more by clicking here.
Read about Tim Loughton and his expenses by clicking here.
Read about Peter Bottomley and his expenses by clicking here.
Brian Stephens discusses MPs expenses in this week's Personal View.
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Tuesday 29 May 2012
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