Tory MP Peter Luff’s Rent-Swapping Sob Story
Peter Luff was one of the worst expense troughers – his expensive tastes demands from the taxpayers last time around included a £625 china service, £1,583 on dining room table, £500 for Aga servicing, £809.91 for a TV and another china set for £367 a few years later. In short he was one of the worst troughers caught in 2009 to survive the 2010 election.
He has responded to revelations that he is, surprise-surprise, a rent-swapper with a David Laws style defence that the taxpayer would have saved money if he had broken the rules rather than merely gamed the system. In the interests of fairness Guido reproduces his argument in full:
“The new Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) expenses scheme did not allow MPs to claim the cost of mortgage interest. I could not, therefore, afford to live in my London flat and I had no choice but to sell it or to rent it out. Having only recently purchased it, I chose to rent it out and this information has been in the public domain for two years, it having been properly declared in the Register of Members’ Interests.
IPSA specified that when MPs are away from home they must live in rented property or stay in a hotel. When I am in London, I now therefore live in a rented flat. This is not my preference – I would have preferred to continue to live in the flat I own, but IPSA’s well-meaning rules designed to safeguard the taxpayers’ interests and promote transparency oblige me to do so. Ironically, the costs to the taxpayer would have been lower had I been allowed to continue with my previous arrangements.”
The obvious question that is unanswered is why a Tory MP on £65,738 thinks that he can’t afford to live in the Kennington flat we have so lavishly furnished with tea sets for him – the mortgage was just £657 a month in 2007 and would be considerably less today with lower interest rates. The average wage in London is less than half what Luff earns. Luff is standing down at the next election before the voters kick him out. Good riddance…
He may stand down, but another trougher will replace him. Sadly, this behaviour seems to be ineradicable.
Hang Him. Pour Encourager Les Autres
If he’s renting it to another M.P. then how come they can afford it, on the same salary?
‘It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged’ – GK Chesterton
because they can claim the rent back on expenses
This stinks. Absolutely stinks.
And, it turns out, he could have claimed his mortgage until 2012, anyway:
“exceptionally, in the case of MPs receiving payments for mortgage interest on 7 May 2010, continued payment of mortgage interest and associated expenditure as set out at paragraph 4.9 until 31 August 2012 or the date when the MP disposes of the property, whichever is the earlier.”
http://parliamentarystandards.org.uk/IPSAMPs/Scheme/schemepartb/Pages/default.aspx
“Labour MP Iain McKenzie, who rents a flat from colleague Linda Riordan, told the Daily Mail: “If I had known beforehand that the flat was owned by an MP then I probably wouldn’t have taken it.”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-20002362
Troughing Tory twat. Boaz.
http://therantingkingpenguin.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/handycock-rides-gravy-train.html
If he can’t afford his house then sell it like a pleb would, he just wants to hang on to make a fat profit at our expense – bastard.
These c**ts become MPs knowing the going rate and they f**king milk us and the system dry – Let’s have a REAL clear out. Government buy a couple of hotels with a sum of 650 rooms and bus the buggers in for starters.
Can someone tell me what MEP’s do, do they get a flat / house near EU parliament? They have two parliaments so do they get two houses / flats?
The amount of money shovelled to MEP’s, makes our shower of parasites green with envy.
First class flights everywhere they wish to go, fleets of luxury Mercedes to take them anywhere they ask, brothels full of rent boys and whores surround the E-ewe towers of Babel and huge allowances fill their pockets, for homes in and around their palaces of ‘work’.
That’s why they all want to stay on the E-ewe gravytrain. Nothing to do with the best interests of this, or any other country.
There’s some great photo’s here, I love the one of the bus with the slogan ‘Tax Dodging Hurts The Poor’
http://www.peterluff.org.uk/gallery.php
They have no shame!
Verb: To luff … isn’t that something that means sailing a bit close to the wind? How appropriate!
So all that dirt that Cameron, Clegg and Brown swept under the carpet first time round is beginning to re-surface.
Brown may be gone but the only change Milliband has brought is a preservation of Nokias.
Cameron will protect these fiddlers – remember how he fought to save Kirkbride (of Mackay/Kirkbride fraud), Brookes, Coulson, Laws, Fox, etc., etc. etc.
Another disgusting trougher outed, they should be executed for treason.
Oh I say, what a luffly idea…
When is this nonsense going to end? The Government should purchase houses and flats for MPs to live in. When they are no longer required they should be sold off and the profit goes back to a charity setup to help soldiers disabled in the wars these fuckwits keep starting.
MPs should not be allowed to claim any rent or anything else.
Enough you troughing c u n t z
I keep saying it. There’s a ready-made village for the whole lot of them down at Stratford. Why can’t they all just move there?
Can ANYONE tell me why this isn’t a good idea?
Having your MPs all in one place would be a security nightmare, and actually cost millions a year in security/police costs.
Not my problem. That’s the accommodation on offer. If they want something different, let them pay for it.
Anyway the Government’s beloved G4S would have it covered.
It would be your problem as they have a right, as do we all to police protection, that would cost the taxpayer millions a year.
If we put them all in one towerblock with one entrance, it only needs three eight hour shifts of, say, two G4S guards at a time. If they are worried about transport to and from Parliament, SERCO can lay on one of those armoured buses they transport prisoners about it. Otherwise, they can take the tube like the rest of us.
Wes are you saying that every MP has security at their chosen residence?
Surely it would be cheaper to corral them all into one area with very high fences around it.
Bit like an open prison, which would cut out the justice system when they get prosecuted. what’s not to like?
Wes, they currently receive the same level of protection from the police that we all do.
If they need extra, then by implication either the police aren’t doing their job properly or the justice system in this country is no deterrent. Perhaps the MPs might then realise what the rest of us have had to put up with for years and finally do something about it.
No, I’m saying that putting them all in one place creates a security problem in itself. It would become a terrorist target. As well a huge problem would be caused to the area you put them in by demos etc. You wouldnt be able to protect it as has been suggested. It would cost millions per year.
And we should care what happens to politicians because?
Last time I or anybody else looked they were busy shafting the people of this country with various lies and self enriching scams.
Add to that, a level of troughing that in any other walk of life, would be considered at the very least, a sackable offence and more usually a criminal prosecution.
I would contend that some form of periodic culling of the parasite class, might make them more honest and attuned to public thinking and work harder for our interests, rather than their own.
Wes, is your mum an MP? Thou appearest to protesteth too muchfully.
Lets have a one of purchase of the 650(ish) flats (why do they need houses) and they get to use them for their term of office. They are furnished from an aproved catologue, to a modest standard. When they leave they take nothing with them, as in fact they own nothing.
The flats dont need to be in the same building/area its better if they are spread out a bit.
Just like student accommodation. I would allow them the internet though.
Yeah but only dial up, make ‘em wait for their porn.
They wouldn’t need security if they didn’t keep going around bombing and invading Countries.
They wouldnt need security if you spread the flats out. Only one MP a building for instance.
Let them have a council flat in the constituency they represent, with the tenancy tied to their time in parliament. When they are voted out they have to get out and scuttle back to the rocks they originally slid out from under.
+1 (and they can also pay their own bloody gas bills from their own pockets)
Nothing had changed, its time we took direct action!
And what are you suggesting? After all, mass protests, even on a Greek or Spanish scale are ridiculed on this site.
We could let the air out of their bicycle tyres, or put sugar in their ministerial cars’ petrol tanks.
Voting all the bastards from the main three parties out would be a good start. Can’t get more direct than that without a pair of pliers and a blow-torch.
So you’d exempt UKIP?
Or are they in the three you mention?
Abolish all political parties. Let MPs be truly independent, and vote as they see fit, not the way the Chief Whip wants you to.
I’m not in love with UKIP, but anything that helps destroy the corpse known as LibLabCon to allow for fresh political parties with open primaries is good in my books.
its just what Respect(sic) wants
EUkip are MORE corrupt.
The ruling three have to be broken up and new parties formed that have real ideological differences.
As it is there is nothing between the LabLibCon trick, except hatred, loathing and contempt, for the electorate that gave them power.
Trustafarians demanding more other-peoples-money-for-them get the piss taken on this site.
A genuine protest against the despicable cabal in Westminster would go down very well.
Well Eddy Militwit is going for walkies this weekend. Get your cabbages at the ready as he goes by.
“I had no choice but to sell it or to rent it out”
What’s wrong with selling it and buying a cheaper property elsewhere?
Oh I see; because then you don’t get a nice Kensington flat at the end of it all…
Indeed.
So, as I understand it, he bought a flat he could not afford to live in. Not much foresight there then – or was the plan to buy it, rent to his mate and max out on his expenses tha plan all along?
You, Sir, are a fucking disgrace to the regiment! A real gentleman would now retire to the library with a large scotch, a fine cigar and his service revolver.
But you will just trough on somewhere else, using your HoC connections come the next election, clutching your 30 pieces of silver to your weedy, asthmatic chest.
I despise you.
A disgrace to the regiment? What regiment? He has never served anyone but himself. As for being a gentleman, well I think you have got that one totally wrong too although he probably does have some experience of fine cigars and expensive scotch though (paid for through expenses of course).
His commission was bought for him, but he has displayed cowardice in the face of moral issues – to serve well and honestly, regardless of any self sacrifice, or to trough and run.
He has been given the white feather.
Lieutenant John Chard: The army doesn’t like more than one disaster in a day.
Bromhead: Looks bad in the newspapers and upsets civilians at their breakfast.
MATRON! I need more of the pink pills please – the hulucinations are back!
5th Armchair Battalion silly
Surely London must have some derelict buildings that could be converted with the basics of a bathroom and bed and a shared kitchen with kettle and microwave.
The government should own the building and charge minimal rent per night to each MP that wants to stay. MP who want to travel home or stay at Hotel or elsewhere should be made to pay their own costs out of their salary.
The Olympic Village is the perfect place. And perfect train links too.
It’s perfect, but no one’s listening.
Its surrounded by too many ordinary people. Hackney, Leyton, Stratford. Have you been to those places?
Ugh, never.
Placeist
I think they’ve sold it off already. At a loss naturally.
Olympic Village more luxurious than I had in mind. I was thinking basic as in old workhouse style or army barracks.
Yeah Nell but where would the rest of us live?
the palace of westminster perhaps? – that’s full of redundant derelicts
Has Helen Goodman apologised yet for claiming the previous thread on Riordan was sexist?
Never apologise, never explain
My friends don’t need an apology or explanation & my enemies won’t accept either of them.
Hahahahaha.
As if.
Guido should count himself lucky; if Riordan were black he’d be racist.
The only way to do it would be to have a blank entry on the ballot and allow people to vote for no one.
That way we’d have the option to vote for something that could get rid of any sitting MP and not replace them.
I agreed. There should be a ‘none of the above’ box: if the ‘none of the above’ candidate wins, then ALL the candidates who stood and lost in that election should be banned from holding any public office or standing for any elected office for at least five years.
“None of the above” is not allowed, Registration of Political Parties (Prohibited Words and Expressions) (Amendment) Order 2005
They think of everything !!
So the only alternative, but which has the same effect, is to simply vote for every candidate on the paper.
That would work.
And count the ‘no-show’ voters as wanting no MP too.
Typically you get 70% turnout at general elections so immediately 30% don’t want anybody to represent them. It would mean that a ‘winning’ candidate would need roughly 50% of the remaining votes.
Otherwise no MP for that constituency. And no bad thing either. Fucking useless most of them. Lobby fodder. Utter plankton. Thick c*unts. Not fit to shovel shit. Not an original thought in their skulls beyond gaming the expenses system.
This comment beggars belief. I demand a judge led inquiry
I recall reading a science fiction book years ago, wherein all elected officials wore a collar.
In public places there were polling booths where the public could vote on referenda and elections. The best bit however, was that if three people simultaneously voted no confidence or some such in any one elected official, the collar they wore exploded, decapitating them.
I’m sure this would work, it could be interfaced into the GPRS network in much the same way as sat nav and triggered via the NHS or Police national computer systems.
It would take away the need for all these costly inquiries and all the double talk and rhetoric.
Should we start a petition?
“30% don’t want anybody to represent them”
Not so sure you’ve drawn the right conclusion there jgm2; perhaps the 30% believe that whoever is elected will not make any difference to their lives so,why bother to vote?
Why didn’t anyone stop Derek McCulloch? Anyone can see he had the face of a nonce:
http://www.bigredbook.info/images/derekmcculloch2.jpg
I was a ‘nonce’ once (Not on Courtyard Exercise) I used to nip down the town for champagne lunches, gosh those open prisons are frightfully inconvenient when one can’t entertain at home.
Well done for exposing Tory boy as well, Guido. There is absolutely nothing in the Guardian about Riordan yet, surprise, surprise.
That will be an ecumenical issue
don’t make a habit of it reverend
If you are going to quote the blessed Ted get it right:
“That would be an ecumenical matter”
In fact mostly said by Father Jack.
I once looked into a politician’s brain
I was amazed that anyone cold live in something that small
Would be a great service to the UK to see Mr Bercow recieve a hefty kick up the pants too on his way out of Westminster…
I hope this is pending….
Mr Speaker, Mr Speaker,
I’m sure my right honourable friends will agree with me, that all … that all the population in this country are plebs ….. unlike my learned friends here, who are mere cheating, stealing, arrogant, lying, pig-swilling vermin with a propensity for self-indulgence and self-dillusion beyond parody.
Hear Hear
Sky News: Savile inquiry now a criminal investigation.
It’s just a tragedy that no-one at the BBC had the guts to call him out in the 70′s. Just think of all the misery and pain that might have been averted over the last 40 years. I hope the BBC is brought to its knees for this.
I wonder what the defence will be.
‘I was only following orders’ or ‘I knew nothing’?
the following are also among the old favourites that get trotted out whenever the s–t hit the fan
‘we must draw a line under this and move on’, ‘lessons will be learned’, ‘inter-agency communication must be improved’ , ‘the big boys made me do it’, ‘well everyone else is doing it so i thought it was all right’
There Broadcasting Charter should be rescinded NOW !!
as indeed it should at the BBC too..
Disgusting
Total disgrace
Seems OK to me
What on earth is the point in becoming an MP if you cannot use your expenses allowance in any way you should see fit?
Exactly! Why choose a life of crime if you can’t spend the proceeds of your nefarious activities?
so his wife is on the books too?
F*ck me!! A Labour MP with a conscience. Has her twatter account been hacked?
A good doctor needs to ask Claire urgently why on earth she ever joined up in the first place.
Well fuck off then.
that is one of the few funny things on der blog today.thanks!
The local council in Halifax must be fucking useless if they can’t grant planning permission for more than 13 houses.
Either that or there’s no demand and nobody wants to live in Halifax.
Have you ever been to Halifax jgm2?
Yeah! Build more buy-to-lets for Linda!
And pillage dear, don’t forget the pillaging!
#Guidofawkes -How sexist..your only picking on him because he’s a man……
Nah kidding.
A question for the readers.
I have ‘a friend’ who is an MP who rents his tea service from another MP. That other MP also rents a tea service from myself..erm..my friend, but through an offshore holding company “Quango-Investment-Solutions”.
My question is…what’s the fuss?
The difference is, it’s ok when we do it.
But do they service each other AGAs?
Dear scumbag MP
£500 to service your AGA you muppet, just who do you think you are.
Read this.
http://www.agaliving.com/media/119007/aga%20care%20prices_hr_vs2%20out%20of%20warranty.pdf
The MOST expensive annual service and care plan works out at only £300 a year. So where did the other £200 go ?
Your a disgrace.
Resign.
If you wish to let Linda Riordan know what you think about her troughing, her email address is: riordanl@parliament.uk
Her constituency office number is: 01422 251800
Alternatively, you can message her through her website form: http://www.lindariordanmp.com/contact-us/
Off with his head !
£65k is a lot of money, but not enough to pay mortgages on properties in the constituency and in London… if his second home is in London Peter would need help paying for it.
He’s still got two mortgages. His flat rent isn’t guaranteed, so the bank would have required assurances that he can pay both, anyway.
Of course he can afford both – this is a fiddle.
PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG PIG
What are you trying to say, not very clear
call me gullable
How can an MP rent out a flat paid for the taxpayer then claim on rented property?
It’s “all within the rules” you see.
Yeah,don’t you know that we make our own rules as well as those for the plebs?
Wanker.
Thief
Did the earth move for you Chucky? Might have just been a passing tram.
The biggest problem with MP pay is that it is centralised. He who pays the piper calls the tune and it isn’t constituents paying their supposed representatives.
Why isn’t pay an issue at election time? Let candidates be paid locally and electioneer by saying how much they think they need to do the job.
I need to be paid in Euros
Is this type of activity buy to let?
are they paying tax?
If you can’t afford the mortgage, sell it.
But, then I’ll lose money? What kind of twat do you take me for?
Sorry – but lets not be entirely unreasonably or unthinking about this.
Imagine:
You become MP for where you and famiy live (you own your own home).
You take on a London flat – which you can expense the mortgage of your 2nd home under the rules of the day.
The rules change so that you can’t expense the mortgage any more. Unsurprisingly on a £65k salary you can’t afford a London flat on top of your family home.
You can either sell the 2nd home or turn it into a “buy-to-let” property.
If you and an MP who lives next door swap flats and rent, you now can afford it, because it is expensed. No surprise: expensed – can afford; not expensed – can’t afford.
The three issues are:
1) if an MP has a buy-to-let property in London are they required to live in it without expnesing the rent instead of having a tennant.
2) is a pair of MPs swapping properties insufficiently arms-length to have confidence that commercial market rates are being charged (no!)
3) Shouldn’t our MPs have worked out the PR issue with 2) and not done it (yes)
Really no points to make about affording to live there etc. Just a concern that the deals are insufficiently arms length, or indeed only done on paper to subvert the rules.
2) INsufficiently arms legnth – yes; sufficiently arms lenght – No
It is not just 65K income.
Average UK, MP’s expenses are 118000 pounds, of which between 25 and 40000 are explained as employment of another, usually a family member..
Bollocks. They can do the same as the rest of us do and stay at a travel lodge or better still turn a bit of the Olympic park accomodation into Barracks for MPs.
Why should we pay for Gordon to have a million pound Westminster Flat when he never goes to work in Westminster? We even pay for his Sky Sports subscription.
Why should we pay for Tim Yeo to have a Thames waterside flat when he is always jetting around the World for so called environmental reasons?
http://www.creditgate.com/companysearch/general+securities+register+limited.aspx
Corruption in your ranks again Dave — Sort it out — Or are you too weak as usual?
3 properties and your OUT rule
YOU can rest assured that NO Member of the Government rent swaps now or has done so in the past (LibbyDIMs excepted) .
According to Dave.
Parasites!
This man is my MP. I stopped communicating with him after he wrote to me to say that I should stop being so cynical about politicos. Now why would anyone want to be cynical about an MP who’d charged the cost of three toilet seats to the taxpayer?