The BBC have revealed that Daily Telegraph have focussed on the Cabinet once again, in the MPs expenses, but this time with real abuse of public money. Alistair Darling is among nine cabinet members who used £11,000 of taxpayers’ money to pay for personal accountancy advice.
The other Cabinet members are Jacqui Smith, Hazel Blears, David Miliband, James Purnell, Douglas Alexander, Geoff Hoon and Hilary Benn who all claimed for tax return processing.
For most people, this is not considered a legitimate business expense.
Labour sources said MP claims for such professional advice were within Commons rules. The ninth minister was unnamed.
Of the total £11,000 for all nine ministers, Mr Darling’s accountancy bills came to £1,400 over two years.
The chancellor said he had paid an accountant to prepare tax returns “to ensure… the correct amount of tax was paid in respect of my office costs”.
On Sunday, Mr Darling had told BBC One’s The Politics Show that all MPs had an obligation to shoulder responsibility for not reforming the expenses system when earlier opportunities arose.
“There is no doubt that the House of Commons rules got out of control and, frankly, everyone of us, me included, have to take responsibility for that, he said.
“Every time these things came up for review we just looked the other way.”
Vince Cable said the chancellor should not “try and tar all MPs with the same brush”.
“I have never previously attacked Alistair Darling personally, whatever our political disagreements, but I was incensed when I heard his cynical attempt to displace responsibility for his own behaviour on other MPs,” he added.
“Many of us have spent years trying to change the system but we’ve been blocked many times, not least by the Labour government.
“Alistair Darling must be prepared to take some personal responsibility.”
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