Last update: Mon May 11 2009 23:53:01

MPs claim for moats and chandeliers

Swimming pool maintenance, the clearing of a moat and the hanging of a chandelier are just some of the expenses claims made by Tory MPs.

In the Daily Telegraph's latest revelations over MPs' expenses, North East Hampshire MP James Arbuthnot had a swimming pool cleaned at a home which he said was "expensive to run".

According to the paper, the senior Tory made a series of claims to maintain a rented property - before buying a £2 million home in 2007. They included £1,471 for "grass, strim, pool, fuel" and in total, he claimed £108,062 over five years - the maximum amount possible.

The paper also says Sir Michael Spicer, the Tories' most senior backbench MP, claimed £5,650 for gardening costs. He has said a detailed invoice submitted in December 2006, which included "helipad", was a "family joke". Sir Michael also successfully claimed for the cost of hanging a chandelier in his main manor house.

Meanwhile, Michael Ancram and Stewart Jackson reportedly claimed for maintenance of swimming pools while David Heathcoat-Amory, a backbench MP, claimed more than £380 for horse manure.

And Douglas Hogg, a former Agriculture Secretary, is said to have spent more than £2,000 clearing the moat on his Lincolnshire estate while Sir Alan Haselhurst, Deputy Speaker of the Commons, also claimed for gardening - £12,000 over five years.

Ex-shadow Home Secretary David Davis claimed for more than £10,000 of home renovations and furnishings, including a new £5,700 portico.

Earlier it was revealed shadow schools secretary Michael Gove - one of Mr Cameron's closest allies - spent £7,000 over five months on a London property, before buying a house in Surrey and claiming thousands of pounds more on that.

And shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley apparently renovated a Tudor thatched cottage using taxpayers' cash shortly before selling it, while shadow Welsh secretary Cheryl Gillan was forced to apologise after admitting she had put dog food through on expenses.

Meanwhile, Oliver Letwin, chairman of the Conservatives' policy team, apparently received more than £2,000 to replace a leaking pipe under a tennis court.

Shadow Leader of the House Alan Duncan is facing questions for reportedly running up a £4,000 bill on gardening. He was warned the spending "could be considered excessive".

Liberal Democrat MP Nick Harvey, spokesman for the House of Commons Commission which oversees MPs' affairs, has suggested the earliest that details of MPs' expenses will be published is late June.

On Monday, Gordon Brown, whose Cabinet has also been slammed, apologised on behalf of all political parties. The Prime Minister said that where "wrongs" had come to light they should be addressed immediately.

"I want to apologise on behalf of politicians on behalf of all parties for what has happened in the events of the last few days," he said.

Later, however, there were angry scenes in the Commons as Speaker Michael Martin slapped down an MP who challenged the decision by the House authorities to call in police to investigate the leak of MPs' expenses claims.

Labour backbencher Kate Hoey told the half-empty chamber that the inquiry was an "awful waste of money" at a time when the police already had a "huge job" to do in London.

But Mr Martin said her "pearls of wisdom" were all very well when uttered in late-night interviews, adding: "I just say to you it's easy to say to the press, 'This should not happen'. It's a wee bit more difficult when you just don't have to give quotes to the press and do nothing else. Some of us in this House have other responsibilities."

© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.

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The spotlight has shifted to the Tories in the expenses row as their second home allowance claims are published by the Daily Telegraph.

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Duration: 2m23s
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