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Prime Minister to face questioning by sleaze watchdog

17/02/2008

Gordon Brown will be quizzed by Westminster's sleaze watchdog over claims he failed to declare rental money.

Parliamentary standards commissioner John Lyon has written to Mr Brown, after Conservative MP Greg Hands complained that the prime minister received more than £1600 for an office paid by public funds.

Mr Hands insists the money was paid for use of Mr Brown's office in his Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency, which the Scot himself rented using parliamentary allowances.

The local party paid £3,321 in rent and it is claimed Mr Brown did not declare his share in the House of Commons Register of Members' Interests.

Mr Lyons wrote to Mr Hands: "Your complaint is that Mr Brown has sublet accommodation which he leases and pays for out of his parliamentary allowances contrary to provisions and has failed to register any income in the Register.

"I am writing to Mr Brown to invite his comments. Once I have received his comments... I will consider how to proceed."

Mr Hands, the MP for Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, said the Prime Minister had broken parliamentary rules.

"I think it is a clear case of the Prime Minister himself having broken parliamentary rules, when he should be setting an example," Mr Hands said.

The controversy over failing to declare money led to Peter Hains, the former work and pensions secretary, to quit last month. Mr Hain declared late more than £103,000 in funding for his failed bid to become Labour's deputy leader.