Conservative Party Chairman accused of fiddling Expenses

6:57am UK, Sunday May 27, 2012

The Conservative Party chairman's admission that she failed to declare thousands of pounds in rental income has put further pressure on the Prime Minister.
Baroness Warsi, who is a Cabinet Office minister, said she did not tell officials in the House of Lords of the money she received after renting out a London flat.

She said the omission was due to an "oversight", adding that she had since reported the letting of her Wembley flat in the Register of Ministers' Interests.

The arrangement had also been declared to the Cabinet Office and tax officials at HM Revenue and Customs, she said.


At all times my ownership of the flat and the fact that it was being let out was fully disclosed to Cabinet Office officials and HM Revenue and Customs, and was appropriately reported on the register of ministers' interests held by the Government.

Baroness Warsi
Although she has apologised, the Tory peer is facing calls for an investigation into her expenses.

The revelations are the latest in a series of crises over Mr Cameron's pledge to maintain high levels of transparency in Government.

Last week, Mr Cameron deflected criticism over Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who is to be questioned at the Leveson Inquiry this week into News Corporation's failed bid for full control of BSkyB.

Baroness Warsi bought the property under scrutiny in 2007, but moved closer to Parliament when she became a minister in 2010, after which she began letting the Wembley flat.

Peers are required to declare sources of income of more than £500, although the annual rent on a London flat is likely to be many times greater than that.

In a statement last night, Lady Warsi said that she contracted to buy the flat in September 2007, but it was not due to be ready until the following year.



Baroness Warsi has apologised for the "oversight"

In a further embarrassment for Lady Warsi, the most senior Muslim politician in Britain, allegations have been made that she claimed for overnight accommodation when staying at a friend's house rent-free.

Lady Warsi insists that she made an "appropriate payment" for the nights she stayed at a property occupied by Tory official Naweed Khan.

She said she stayed predominantly at two hotels but also, for "occasional nights", at an Acton property occupied by Mr Khan, a Conservative Party adviser.

Mr Khan has backed her claim, releasing a statement saying she made a payment each time she stayed at the property.

However - according to reports in The Sunday Times and The Sunday Telegraph - the owner of the property in Acton, west London, denies that he received any income from either Lady Warsi or Mr Khan.

The Tory peer was at the time claiming Lords subsistence of £165.50 a night.

Labour MP John Mann said he would be asking the Lords commissioner for standards to investigate.

"If you are paying no rent where you are staying, you can't possibly be claiming subsistence for staying there," he said.

"It all seems very murky. We need a full investigation into the matter."

What is is about these Politicians who fiuddle their expenses?. They have only to attend the House on one day a week, claim generous expenses, have
a subsidised Bar, very generous Holidays, generous Pension etc ......yet they still choose to dishonour Parliament, their Constituents , their Families
and show no shame.