“David Ruffley: 2008/09 expenses”

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David Ruffley: 2008/09 expenses Posted: 19 Jun 2010 08:52 AM PDT The Bury Free Press of May 22, 2009, featured Mr Ruffley on its front page. Here is that story: BURY St Edmunds MP David Ruffley has been dragged into the expenses scandal this week after allegations he 'flipped' his main home to London so he could claim expenses for his constituency flat. Mr Ruffley, shadow minister for police reform, changed his main residence to his London flat in 2007, before allegedly trying to claim £1,674 for a sofa and £2,175 for a 46-inch television from Harrods to furnish his second home in Bradfield Combust. The Sunday Telegraph alleged Mr Ruffley also tried to claim £6,765 for bedroom furniture from And So To Bed for the second home, which was later cut by the Parliamentary Fees Office. But the Conservative MP fiercely denied the claims, saying he had designated his Pimlico flat as his main home as ministerial duties meant he spent most of his time in Westminster. "I did not flip," he said. "I changed designation because I was spending more time in London." Mr Ruffley this week called for the current system of MPs' expenses for their second homes to be scrapped, after it was revealed some MPs had been claiming taxpayers' money to fund repairs to helipads, maintain swimming pools and provide floating accommodation for ducks. Mr Ruffley went on to call for the current system of expenses to be scrapped, after the sensational revelations in The Daily Telegraph. The shadow minister for police reform said a national crisis of confidence in elected members of parliament had sparked unprecedented scenes in the House of Commons. Speaking from Westminster, Mr Ruffley said: "MPs realise there is a crisis in pubic confidence and I don't believe the public will accept anything less than scrapping and junking the whole system. "I have never seen a more desperate mood in the House of Commons chamber." As leaked documents revealed some fellow MPs had been claiming public money for upkeep of their swimming pools and gardening bills, Mr Ruffley, too was caught up in the allegations, strongly denying he had 'flipped' his constituency home. He said: "I did not flip. I changed designation because I was spending more time in London." The MP insisted the transfer of his main home to London meant he was gaining less from the taxpayer, not more, claiming £800 a month for the flat in Bradfield Combust, compared with £1,136.08 for his flat in Pimlico. He also condemned the system, which allows members to claim expenses for their second homes. He said: "It is destroying public confidence in all politicians and we need radical action. "In the extreme cases we have seen, it is reported police are investigating these individuals and the full force of the law must be brought down. "The British public want a change to this system." Unprecedented scenes unfolded in Westminster this week, as MPs from all parties rounded on Michael Martin, Speaker of the House, calling for his immediate resignation over his handling of the expenses row. On Tuesday, following a discussion with the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, Mr Martin became the first speaker for more than 300 years to relinquish his position. Mr Ruffley said: "The speaker had to go because he has shown no leadership about how we move forward. "I haven't experienced scenes like this before and it is a sorry day for Parliament, but we will have to get on with it." Although he has declined to divulge details of his claim for 2008-2009, Mr Ruffley has pledged to publish his full expense receipts and claims on his website, www.davidruffleymp.com when they are finalised by the Commons authorities towards the end of June. Mr Ruffley has also promised to poll constituents via his website – www.telldavidruffley.com – on what actions they would like to see over the expenses storm. He said: "I share the grave public concern and anger about the MPs' expenses system. "Nothing matters to me more in life than the good opinion of my constituents, who I try hard to serve to the best of my ability."

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