Andrew Turner has become the centre of a National story over his past MP expenses claims, centering on the fact that the paperwork held in connection with it by Parliament had now been destroyed.
This shredding, now unearthed, has the potential to blow up into a National scandal.
The potential damage in the minds of the Isle of Wight public at being reminded, so close to the election, of the levels of their current MP’s past expenses claims (In 2011-12, he claimed over £50,000 in expenses, the highest among MPs along the South coast) might damage his chances of re-election.
Island Conservatives are source of story
The source of the story makes this exposure all the more surprising – being that it’s three IW Conservatives.
The names reported in the Telegraph were David Pugh, Alan Stovell and Gary Taylor (respectively, the former leader of the council, former deputy chair of the IW Conservatives and former Conservative councillor).
Their complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner, alleging that Andrew Turner improperly designated the five-bedroom Island home as his second home was rejected, as David Pugh tells OnTheWight, using the shredding, “as an excuse / reason not to investigate.”
It was this that led them to learn that the House of Commons authorities had destroyed all records of the all MP’s historical expenses claims over three years old. This includes all expenses claims from the 2009 scandal.
Newport home was designated as second home
Many questions were raised at the time of the original MP’s expenses scandal back in 2009 if indeed it was correct for Andrew Turner to name his Newport house as his second home.
By classifying it as his ‘second home’, he was able to claim mortgage payments of around £10k/year; Council tax; House cleaning of ~£1,200/year; House repairs of up to £6,900/year; even his electricity. Andrew Turner designated another one bedroom flat that he owns in London as his main home.
Other MPs around the county were heavily criticised for naming the constituency house as a second home, as people felt it was a trick to get what was actually their main house paid for.
Previous criticism of Newport as second home
Alan Wells had previously been critical of Andrew Turner claiming his Newport house was his second home, stating that he felt this might affect Andrew Turner’s chance to get re-elected.
Back in October 2013, OnTheWight broke the news of an attempt within the Isle of Wight Conservatives to unseat Andrew Turner as the official candidate for the the May 2015 election.
OnTheWight is awaiting replies from David Pugh (10:20 updated: Now received) and Andrew Turner following our enquiries.
Updated 10:40: Correction. It was the complaint to the Parliamentary Commissioner, not the request for paper work that unveiled the mass shredding.
Image: Screen grab from parliamentlive.tv coverage of 13 October 2014 debate
