Peter Luff MP cited in expenses claims (From Evesham Journal)
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Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff let out a London home whilst claiming rent
9:48am Friday 19th October 2012 in News By Tom Edwards
Peter Luff MP
PETER Luff let out a property in London whilst claiming expenses to rent another house in the capital, according to reports.
The Mid-Worcestershire MP is one of 27 parliamentarians who claimed for one house despite renting another.
According to reports, Mr Luff lets out a "small residential property" he jointly owns with his wife but claimed £17,799 in expenses on rental payments last year.
He has now released a statement saying rule changes in 2010 made it difficult for him to stay in the house he owns.
It reads: "In July 2009 I purchased, with a mortgage, a small London flat to live in when performing my Parliamentary duties.
"I had hoped to be allowed to remain in this flat for as long as I remained an MP.
"Mortgage interest was claimed for this property for approximately eight months until the 2010 election.
"The new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) expenses scheme did not allow MPs to claim the cost of mortgage interest.
"I could not, therefore, afford to live in my London flat and I had no choice but to sell it or to rent it out.
"Having only recently purchased it, I chose to rent it out and this information has been in the public domain for two years, it having been properly declared in the Register of Members’ Interests.
"IPSA specified that when MPs are away from home they must live in rented property or stay in a hotel.
"When I am in London, I now therefore live in a rented flat.
"This is not my preference – I would have preferred to continue to live in the flat I own, but IPSA’s well-meaning rules designed to safeguard the taxpayers' interests and promote transparency oblige me to do so.
"Ironically, the costs to the taxpayer would have been lower had I been allowed to continue with my previous arrangements."
Comments(27)
spider666
says...
10:05am Fri 19 Oct 12
Andy_R
says...
10:49am Fri 19 Oct 12
denon
says...
11:46am Fri 19 Oct 12
Andy_R
says...
12:25pm Fri 19 Oct 12
truth must out
says...
1:26pm Fri 19 Oct 12
broadwas
says...
1:39pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Keith B
says...
2:37pm Fri 19 Oct 12
I've never understood why we pay our MP's - the people who run the nation and represent 60,000 people so badly - about half that paid to a headmaster running a school of 1000 pupils and 120 staff. Also about half that of a senior officer in Worcestershire County Council. It isn't well paid.
They do a job that in any other walk of life would be equivalent to a Chief Executive of a corporation on a six figure salary with all expenses paid.
The man is doing a job where he is required to be away from home 4-5 nights a week - the least the employer (the taxpayer) should do is cover the cost of staying away.
But to be fair there is a better solution - that is for the Government to buy up buildings like the now empty London Fire Brigade HQ opposite the Houses of Parliament, convert the buildings into 500 small one bedroomed furnished flats and give every MP living outside London one for the term of his/her Parliamentary career. Just a nice comfortable place to stay and probably work - probably with some communal facilities (restaurant, even a swimming pool) to give it a bit of luxury. If we want to attract the best people to Parliament we must treat them with respect and give them a facility they could command in another job.
We denigrate our MP's too easily - and some really have let themselves down with claims - but unless we start to respect the job they do, we will never attract the very best people to do the job. £60k sounds to many a really good wage - but John Terry gets that in 3 days and I know who I'd rather have looking after the Country.
Give Luff a break - he's going next time around anyway and to be fair to the man, like or dislike his politics, he has represented his patch well over the years.
brooksider
says...
2:41pm Fri 19 Oct 12
"Ironically, the costs to the taxpayer would have been lower had I been allowed to continue with my previous arrangements."
No apology then, just Peter Luff having a laugh at our expense.
With 3 properties no wonder this self serving individual needed so many irons, dishwashers and dinner services etc.
jovialcommonsense
says...
2:56pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Better to spread them around a bit.
murray kelso
says...
3:35pm Fri 19 Oct 12
MK - Digital Editor
Landy44
says...
4:12pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Over censorship methinks?!
brooksider
says...
4:14pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Andy_R wrote:Peter Luff's mortgage on his Kennington flat was £657 a month in 2007, that figure will be lower no because of current interest rates.
Landy44 wants some facts. Well, luckily they are all published by the government! The mortgage payments Mr Luff claimed before the rule change were £668.36 per month. MPs are paid £5,478.16 a month, plus expenses. This means that when Mr Luff said "I could not, therefore, afford to live in my London flat", he was talking about how difficult it is to survive on just the remaining £4,809.80 a month plus expenses. Draw your own conclusions.
Rental income from a 2 bedroom flat would be at least £1,100 per month.
He also receives rental income from at least one property in Worcester.
Peter Luff's salary is supplemented by his wife's income of around £30,000, this is paid out of Peter's MP's expenses!
It is obvious he is again maximising his income at our expense.
He is a shameless money grabber, the sooner he leaves Parliament for Qinetic there better.
dwichgirl
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4:21pm Fri 19 Oct 12
http://www.telegraph
.co.uk/news/newstopi
cs/mps-expenses/5363
997/MPs-expenses-Pet
er-Luff-shopped-till
-he-swapped-then-sta
rted-again.html
The multiple claims
Radio 3
Lavatory/seat 3
Bed/mattress 4
Table/coffee table 5
Set of chairs 2
Microwave 2
Ironing board 2
Vacuum cleaner 2
Kettle 3
China service/ crockery 2
Bed linen 10
Pillows 2
Towels 5
Food mixer 3
Shower curtain 2
DVD 2
Chest of drawers/ bedside chest 2
Sofa 2
Blanket 3
The Doosra
says...
4:34pm Fri 19 Oct 12
dwichgirl
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4:45pm Fri 19 Oct 12
induby
says...
5:20pm Fri 19 Oct 12
but you also have to take into consideration how much the government pays the people who have to assess these expenses claims.
How many expense claim handlers are there?
how much are they paid ? it all adds to millions of taxpayers money.
And why on earth are we paying spouses of MPs to do there work for them ? answer your own letters!, book your own appts, for gods sake your getting paid more money in 2 months than most people earn in a year!
simplify the entire system,more transparency, set a wage which takes into consideration certain expenses and im not talking about expenses like any of those in the list above.
REAL expenses
perhaps if they were put onto minimum wage they would be more inclined to be realistic
Keith B
says...
6:14pm Fri 19 Oct 12
By constantly undermining our MP's the media is doing the Country no favours.
induby
says...
7:10pm Fri 19 Oct 12
I suggested minimum wage as form of giving these MPs a reality check on what they are doing to average person in society. make them a little more humble, more willing to fight for their constituents because they understand the hardships.
But if your happy to buy dvds, towels and 10 sets of bed linen for your high flying Einstein you carry on!,
But I don't want too!,
I think they should buy their own, I personally have 3 beds in my house of which all are slept in every night and I don't even own 10 lots of bed linen. So forgive me when i'm dismayed by the expenses claimed of these MPs.
And if these men did do their jobs properly and were honest and up front then there would be nothing to undermine them with.
I have a disabled child,due to start school in September next year, I want my child to be given access to facilities that will help her learn and grow at school, little chance of that when all the funding for schools is being cut.. is there?
But that's ok its obviously far more important to make sure Peter Luff gets his first, second and third home fully furnished !!!
Keith B
says...
7:44pm Fri 19 Oct 12
But we won't do that but making life so uncomfortable for MP's that nobody of any calibre will do it.
The credit card ran out under Labour and the Tories are still spending far too much. There is nothing left in the pot. Reason - MP's are more concerned about playing inter Party games than doing the right thing for the Country. While they are running around like headless chickens, the Civil Service continue to run the Country much in the same way that was portrayed in Yes Minister.
Until we recruit the best brains to Parliament (60k a year) rather than the Civil Service (mid grade senior post at £120k a year and no hassle from prying newspapers) there simply won't be any money to spend on people like your daughter.
The Salary and costs of all our MP's for a whole year is swallowed in Afganistan in a day. The cost of the new Trident dwarfs the cost of all our schools put together.
That's what you should be getting mad about - not some retiring MP (who should have been asking the above question himself) who is looking after his own best interest and that of his family, just as you want to do with yours.
If you're so mad - stand for Parliament. And before you ask, actually I have done. I lost, but at least I put my money where my mouth was and rocked a few complacent boats.
Get the Party's out of politics and this Country may stand a chance ..... and lets start with the police commissioner elections and elect nobody flying a Party banner.
denon
says...
7:50pm Fri 19 Oct 12
How much tax does your family pay what is your rent do you get any benefits.
Could you afford to live with your constituents and be in in London working for 4 days a week and work on atleast 2 of the other 3 days for £65,000
Andy R you are selective and £60 traveling to London seems reasonable if not out of pocket.A car is needed to take confidential papers about matters raised by constituents.
l assume by your crireria you are being critical of a Nurse Consultant on grades a-c £67,134 at ther top earns more than an MP and doesnt need a second home.
A Primary School headteacher on L14-L27 earns at the top of the scale £70,991and doesn't need a second home...
A funny old world when you abide by the rules and get kicked. Who would want the job of an MP and try and get elected
induby
says...
8:38pm Fri 19 Oct 12
And yes I am angry, im angry that whilst I cant afford to replace my little girls favourite DVD Tangled,that she accidentally scratched i've have to contribute towards 2 for Mr luff !
Samboy
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10:36pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Malaky
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10:41pm Fri 19 Oct 12
It is an obvious attempt to abuse the expenses procedure and I withdraw my support from this Conservative chancer.
He has to go at the next election, as we need to support UKIP in its attempt to return this country to the civilised state as we enjoyed 20+ years ago.
Keith B
says...
10:44pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Andy_R
says...
11:15am Sun 21 Oct 12
RobertC
says...
2:51am Mon 22 Oct 12
induby says...
10:01am Fri 19 Oct 12
and what party did he work for again?