Esther McVey was Minister for Common Sense in 2023
Minister for Common Sense demanded tens of thousands of pounds in parliament for the cost of renting a flat in London despite her husband owning a property a mile away.
Esther McVeigh, who last year became a minister again and committed to tackling waste in Whitehall, has received financial backing to rent a property in the capital , which she shares with her husband, Conservative MP Philip Davis.
The minister has been featured in official accounts of the Westminster flat for the past two years. During this period she received £39,000. However, it is understood the couple have claimed property expenses since 2017, meaning they could have received up to £250,000 from the taxpayer.
While the arrangement is not against the rules, questions have been raised about whether Do the claims represent value for money as Mr Davis owns an apartment in Waterloo which is approximately 25 minutes' walk from another property and is rented out.
Following the 2009 expenses scandal, the rules were changed so MPs cannot claim mortgage costs. So Mr Davies could not claim any interest on the mortgage on the Waterloo property even if the couple lived there.
Last night he criticized the rules, saying the agreement was «forced » to him by the body created after the expenses scandal.
He said he would be «happy» to continue to claim interest on the mortgage on the flat he owns, «but that option has been taken away from me.»
A political campaign group led by Donkeys is looking into claims from several MPs. who receive rent for the property they own. but declare expenses for apartments in the capital.
At least eight other MPs have been identified as claiming rent in London, as well as recording rental income from their own properties in the city, claiming rental costs of more than £1 million since 2017.
< img src="/wp -content/uploads/2024/03/93a2f92ff1c14937bd3d6c11e1e8d9a0.jpg" /> Esther McVey with husband Philip Davis Photo: A Davidson/Shutterstock
Ms McVey was first elected as a Conservative MP in 2010. She lost her Wirral West seat in 2015 but became MP for Tatton two years later. She has held a number of ministerial positions: Rishi Sunak appointed her as a cabinet minister in November last year.
Since becoming Common Sense Minister, Ms McVeigh has declared a «war» on waste in the public sector. , who wrote last year that the government «doesn't want you to see a penny of your hard-earned money being wasted on unnecessary government spending.»
In 2020 she married Mr Davies, the Conservative MP for Shipley. According to figures published by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA), which was formed in the wake of the expenses scandal, both MPs are claiming rent on properties in London.
Mr Davies' name appeared in official records relating to the property at Westminster for seven years.
Esther McVey and Philip Davies speak to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on GB News. Photo: Zara Farrar, HM Treasury
Since Ms McVeigh was re-elected in 2017, they have both claimed £1,625 a month in rent, with their combined living expenses totaling around a quarter of a million pounds since 2017.
According to the data In his register of interests, Mr Davies declared income in excess of £10,000 from property in London. It is believed the property in question is in Waterloo, which he has owned since 2005.
Ms McVeigh did not respond to questions. Mr Davies told Led by Donkeys: «If I owned the apartment outright and could stay in it without incurring any costs, I would agree that I should do that, but in my case that's not even remotely applicable.»< /p>
“As far as I know, all jobs cover the living expenses of people working away from home, and I'm surprised… [you]… think it doesn't have to be that way anymore.
“This, of course, will lead to the fact that only the richest people in the country will be able to become deputies.”
The real story of the deputies' expenses Read more
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