Duncan Borrowman says London MPs Second Home Allowances Must Be Abolished

12.55.20am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 31st Mar 2009

Old Bexley & Sidcup Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Duncan Borrowman is calling for the Second Home Allowance to be scrapped for London MPs.

Duncan Borrowman says: "None of London's eight Liberal Democrat MPs claim the allowance.

"It is completely unacceptable that London MPs living within commuting distance of Westminster are allowed to claim money for a second home.

"Labour and Conservative MPs need to wake up and smell the coffee. With so many people struggling to pay the bills on one home, it is grossly offensive that Conservative and Labour MPs get a handout so they can afford two. It is made even worse by MPs who claim for a constituency home, and have their second home nowhere near Westminster.

"It's time for parliament to clean up it's act. The London second homes scandal doesn't just damage individual MPs; it damages our democracy. Until Conservative and Labour MPs are prepared to stand up and vote for change, it will be business as usual at Westminster and the public will rightly condemn MPs as only being interested in themselves."