As reported in the press last May:
Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, called [on 13th May 2009] for MPs to be banned from making a profit from selling second homes which they bought using their Commons allowances.
He will prevent Liberal Democrat MPs making money out of selling such a property after having their mortgage interest paid by the taxpayer – and wants the rule extended to all MPs. Any profits from the sale of a property would be handed back to the Exchequer.
And today:
The head of the new authority tasked with overhauling MPs’ expenses has said profits made on taxpayer-funded second homes should be “surrendered”.
Sir Ian Kennedy told the Times gains made from rises in the value of properties should not be retained.
At the time I felt this to be one of the most important issues in the expenses scandal. It seemed especially wrong for MPs to use taxpayers’ money to gamble on the housing market and then pocket all the winnings; and right for Nick to take a stand against it.
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7 Comments
I would expect all parties will go along with this, but when is the starting date for it, could it be back dated?
“He will prevent Liberal Democrat MPs making money out of selling such a property after having their mortgage interest paid by the taxpayer”
But how on earth can he prevent it?
If a Lib Dem MP sells a house he owns and pockets the money, there’s not an earthly thing Nick Clegg can do about it.
“If a Lib Dem MP sells a house he owns and pockets the money, there’s not an earthly thing Nick Clegg can do about it.”
Au contraire.
Nick supports LVT, which could capture every penny of unearned gain from MPs (and everyone else) in lieu of taxing their productive worth.
What a remarkably fatuous comment!
Nick Clegg can “support” what he likes, but of course he’s powerless to stop a Lib Dem MP selling a house he owns and pocketing the money. Second homes are quite likely to be sold when MPs leave the House of Commons, and in that case he can’t even threaten to withdraw the whip.
It’s not outwith the realms of possibility to intercept any money which would have been paid by whoever purchases the property (assuming this is legal). Just as they do with mortgages, like.
Now, I know I’ve asked this before, but it was in a thread about to hove out of sight:
There has been hearsay that a number of senior LibDems have been employing close relatives who have little visible presence in the constituencies; concealing this from attention by paying researchers as little as possible so redirect allocated funds (a la Jim “common practice in the Unions” Devine).
Does anyone know about this? If true, I would call for culprit’s dismissal.
“It’s not outwith the realms of possibility to intercept any money which would have been paid by whoever purchases the property (assuming this is legal). Just as they do with mortgages, like.”
Crikey, this is hard work!
Yes, of course it could be done _if_ the law were changed (though a retrospective change would be very questionable).
But Nick Clegg himself doesn’t have the power to “intercept” his MPs’ money – not without the police taking a close interest in his activities.
>> Crikey, this is hard work!
D’you have a point?
>> But Nick Clegg himself doesn’t have the power to “intercept” his MPs’ money
Don’t be ridiculous. You know full well I was referring to Commons authorities.
>> – not without the police taking a close interest in his activities.
What does this mean? Are there allegations of financial impropriety or sharp-practice against him, as with the Mingster? If so, I would have no objection to his being suitably investigation (as should have been clear from my question about senior LibDems’ employing family members).
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