Keens still refusing to reveal expenses

8:09am Saturday 29th March 2008

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The Keens stayed silent this week amid the escalating row over the Speaker of the House's bid to keep details of MPs expenses secret.

On Tuesday, Speaker Michael Martin turned to the High Court to appeal a ruling by an information tribunal which found that no more legal steps could be taken to prevent the release of details about 14 named MPs' expenses.

Others affected by the ruling include Prime Minister Gordon Brown and David Cameron who have both indicated they are happy for the details over allowances for second homes to come out.

However a spokesperson for Hounslow's MPs, Ann and Alan Keen, said the pair would not be commenting until the appeal is settled.

The Keens have long been under fire for using the second home allowance available to MPs for their second home in Westminster - despite having a home in Brentford, which is just nine miles from the Commons.

It emerged this month that the £23,000-a-year allowance can be used for household expenses, including £10,000 kitchens and £6,000 bathrooms.

In addition to the MPs claims, responding to the Freedom of Information request, the tribunal also said addresses of second home should be revealed.

Parliamentary hopeful for Brentford and Isleworth, Liberal Democrat councillor Andrew Dakers, said the Speaker's move to block the information was "just the latest excuse to put the disclosure on hold".

"Like all residents of the borough I am shocked at the determination of MPs to block the disclosure of how our public funds are spent," he said He added he would happily to disclose the details of how his allowances are spent to anyone making a request.