MP Alan Keen votes to keep controversial expenses

12:36pm Sunday 6th July 2008

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Alan Keen, one half of a husband and wife MP team nicknamed Mr and Mrs Expenses, has voted against reforming members' second homes allowances.

Mr Keen, Labour MP for Feltham and Heston, voted to keep generous expenses for kitting out members' second homes on Thursday night.

His wife, Ann Keen, who represents Isleworth, Feltham and Heston, for Labour, skipped the controversial vote.

Part of Thursday's debate concerned reforms to "The John Lewis list" - an unofficial guide used to decide whether an MP's expenditure claim is reasonable in relation to claims for their second homes.

The list is linked to prices at the department store and allows MP's to claim up to £24,006 to cover the costs of running a second home including £299.99 for an air conditioning unit, £300 on a freestanding mirror and £10,000 for a new kitchen.

Mr and Mrs Keen drew criticism after it was revealed the pair used more than £100,000 in public funds to pay for a flat with a swimming pool and a 24-hour concierge on London's South Bank.

The Keens paid for the purchase of the £500,000 flat six years ago with a mortgage on the property, plus a loan on their family home in Brentford, which is only nine miles from Westminster.

Thursday's vote followed a five-month probe led by Speaker Michael Martin into MP's pay and expenses following a series of controversies.

The proposed reforms - defeated by a majority of 28 - would have capped second home allowances at £19,600 a year to cover accommodation, with a £30 daily subsistence rate.

Earlier MPs voted to peg their pay rise back to 2.25 per cent.

South-west London MP's who voted to keep the John Lewis list:

• Tessa Jowell, Labour MP for Dulwich and West Norwood
  
• Alan Keen, Labour MP for Feltham and Heston
  
• Siobhain McDonagh, Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden
  
• David Wilshire, Conservative MP for Spelthorne