Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate Mike Simpson Challenges Jeremy Hunt to "Come clean over expenses" (South West Surrey Liberal Democrats)

South West Surrey Liberal Democrats <info@swsurreylibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate Mike Simpson Challenges Jeremy Hunt to "Come clean over expenses"

May 18, 2009 12:00 PM

Mike Simpson writes to Jeremy Hunt re his expenses

Mike Simpson, the Liberal Democrat's new Parliamentary candidate for South West Surrey has called on the Conservative MP to explain why he has claimed over £37,000 in his first 3 years as an MP for 'the cost of staying away from his main home', rather than commute to London from Farnham.

The MP's claim for the last year has still not been published.

The figures published for Jeremy Hunt, for the first 3 years he has been an MP, show that he claimed an average of £12,566 per year despite having a home in Farnham and a 'half-share of a holiday house in Italy' (note 2). He is rumoured to have a home in Richmond on Thames. The distance by road from Farnham to Westminster is 45 miles by road and trains take less than an hour to Waterloo.

Mike Simpson, the new Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate has challenged Jeremy Hunt to explain what he has spent the £37,000 on, saying "If Mr Hunt think he needs a third home he should tell us how he justifies the expense to the taxpayer".

Mike Simpson said, "I challenge Jeremy Hunt to come clean about his expenses. It seems odd that the Conservative MP claims thousands of pounds every year for accommodation, when so many of his constituents commute into London. There are plenty of late trains or he could drive the 45 miles back to his home in Farnham. He is a wealthy man and I wonder why he thinks the taxpayer should pick up the tab if he chooses to have a third home somewhere else."

Mike Simpson has made a commitment that if he is elected he will commute to London and would not be charging the taxpayer for any second home expenses. "As I am not an MP at present, I can't afford two homes, let alone three and if elected I can say now that I would not claim a penny for a second home. I just can't see how Jeremy Hunt justifies at least £37,000 in 3 years for an alternative home paid for by the taxpayer. In addition to this money we have still not been told how much he has claimed for 2008/9. Why is he keeping silent on these matters?"