A HAMPSHIRE MP who spent thousands of pounds of public money redecorating his London home faces the prospect of being hauled before Tory party bigwigs within days to explain his expenses claims.
Julian Lewis, Conservative MP for New Forest East, claimed more than £85,000 to cover the cost of running his second home over a four-year period – and has said he will not pay back a penny.
Dr Lewis’s successful claims for upgrading the London flat included £352 in legal fees for settling a dispute over unpaid service charges, £119 for a wall-mounted trouser press, £5 for a “sweater tidy”, £4 for wax polish, £45 for a shower curtain, £98 for two bedroom rugs, £2,369 for kitchen appliances including a £789 Bosch washer-dryer, and £346 for the installation of new bathroom taps.
The MP also regularly claimed up to £1,200 a month for interest on the mortgage on the £400,000 flat, as permitted by Commons rules.
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