Second standards watchdog MP urged to quit
The Daily Telegraph reports Labour MP Andrew Dismore claimed £65,000 for two properties in London
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Monday, 23, Nov 2009 09:16
By Richard James.
A second member of the Commons standards committee has come under fire over his expenses claims.
The Daily Telegraph reports Labour MP Andrew Dismore claimed £65,000 for two properties in London.
The paper alleges Mr Dismore claimed £34,000 in second home expenses for a west London flat while designating a property a few miles away in his north London constituency as his main home.
The 55-year-old is then accused of "flipping" his second home designation to the north London property and claiming a further £31,000 after telling Commons officials the property in the west of the capital had become his main residence.
The Telegraph claims on top of the £65,000 claimed over eight years, Mr Dismore also used over £1,000 in expenses to pay his girlfriend to do casual work for him.
The allegations come shortly after the decision by the committee chairman David Curry to stand down from his position pending an investigation into his expenses claims.
It was revealed last week Mr Curry had referred himself to the parliamentary commissioner for standards after the Telegraph disclosed he had claimed £30,000 for a property his wife had banned him from using.
Mr Dismore is today facing pressure to take similar action as questions continue to be raised over the effectiveness of the committee designed to regulate the actions of MPs.
Speaking to the Telegraph, the Labour MP for Hendon defended his actions, saying: "It was my intention when I bought the Hendon flat for it to be my main home. After about 18 months it became clear to me that with increasing parliamentary demands on my time I was spending more time in London than in Hendon."
He added he needed both London properties "to do [his] job well" and "give a full day's service to constituents".
Mr Dismore also told the paper he has stopped claiming expenses for the second home back in April.