International Law

MP couple broke expenses rules over flat

By John Hirst

Tory MPs Sir Nicholas and Ann Winterton were today found to have broken Parliamentary expenses rules by claiming rent on a flat they had bought outright.

But the Commons Committee on Standards and Privileges accepted that the breach regarding the £700,000 London property was accidental.

The couple can continue to receive expenses against the costs of the flat until September, the sleaze watchdog ruled.

The Wintertons bought the flat in the early 1990s, but subsequently paid off the mortgage.

They then put the property into a family trust in order to avoid inheritance tax.

Since February 2002 they have occupied it as tenants, and paid the trust rent using their Commons allowance for running a second home.

The Committee branded the arrangement an "unusual" use of expenses, and criticised the Wintertons for failing to check regularly whether Parliamentary rules still allowed it.

Hasn't the Commons Committee on Standards and Privileges heard of the legal maxim "ignorance of the law is no excuse"?

Full post as published by prisonlawinsideout on June 18, 2008 (boomark / email).