Since Labour are giving it both barrels on their new Damian McBride-inspired campaign for efficient spending, Guido’s looked through the archives to see how the Shadow Cabinet handled taxpayers’ money when they were in government. A worthwhile effort given they seem to have no issue resurrecting the political career of Douglas Alexander, despite his notorious expense fiddling…

First up, the Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper. At the time of the expense scandal in 2009, Cooper was the DWP Secretary. Her husband, professional dancer Ed Balls, was the Children’s Secretary. Together, the pair were investigated for flipping the designation of their second home three times within the space of just two years. In total, they claimed £24,400 on their second-home allowance, more than the £23,000 allotted to individual MPs…

While the standards commissioner ultimately ruled the claims were above board because they had paid (ouch) capital gains following their move, the pair were later forced to repay £1,363 each for a mortgage overpayment. Nonetheless, the taxpayer still footed the £2,000 bill for removal men to haul the couple’s furniture around London – and, according to the Telegraph, “submitted regular claims for food, usually totalling up to £600 a month”. The maximum food allowance for a single MP was £400. Not to mention the £225 Cooper spent on a digital camera, and £1,200 on 30,000 calendars. At the time, Cooper and Balls were both on salaries of £141,866 a year…