Second Home Claim Would Have Been Wrong; Pure And Simple - Teather

1.26.37pm GMT Fri 11th Dec 2009

Sarah Teather lives in Willesden Green

Brent's local Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather has not been included in today's expenses revelations, as she has always refused to claim for a second home or the lavish furnishings that go with it.

Sarah, who lives in Willesden Green, has never claimed a penny from the House of Commons for her personal housing costs, and has actively campaigned for the abolition of the second home allowance for London MPs. She is the only MP in Brent to have shunned the MP's second home fund.

Labour MP Dawn Butler, who will face Sarah Teather at the next election, claimed £5976.12 of taxpayer's money last year for mortgage payments, despite living a short tube journey away from parliament. Since being elected, Brent's Labour MPs have spent over £200,000 of taxpayer's money on their personal living costs.

Local Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East Sarah Teather said:

"I love living in Brent and, with parliament a short tube journey away, it would have been ridiculous for me to claim money from the taxpayer. I have not claimed any second home expenses because I believed it would be wrong, pure and simple.

"I have campaigned in parliament to scrap the second home allowance for London MPs, and was pleased that my motion attracted support. We have finally managed to have these crazy rules changed and I will continue to fight for further reform".

Brent Liberal Democrat Group Whip Cllr Daniel Bessong said:

"Local people in Brent have to pay their own mortgages, and so should their MPs. People are fed up of hearing our Labour MPs' flimsy excuses: there is simply no reason why they had to scrounge off the taxpayer.

"While Sarah Teather was campaigning to end the MPs second home allowance, Brent's Labour MPs were maxing out their expense accounts before the rules changed. It's a disgrace that time and time again Labour MPs voted to maintain the status quo.

"Having lived through the worst economic crisis in living memory, Brent residents don't understand why their Labour MPs have had a free ride. Dawn Butler and Barry Gardiner need to do the honourable thing by apologising to their constituents and paying back the money they have taken."

Related Links:

Dawn Butler's expenses claims.

Barry Gardiner's expenses claims.

Sarah Teather on MPs expenses.

Sarah Teather's motion for reform.

Dawn Butler's amendment to block reform.