Gordon Brown's own expenses

Gordon Brown has laughably told the Andrew Marr programme that "what I've seen offends my Presbyterian conscience".

Until 2006, Gordon Brown declared a flat in Westminster as his second home for the purposes of his allowances - despite having the use of a taxpayer-funded apartment in Downing Street.

As Chancellor, Mr Brown declined to live in the grace and favour flat he was entitled to at Downing Street, instead charging the £650-a-month mortgage interest payments, utility bills, council tax, telephone expenses and television licence for the Westminster property to his Commons allowances.

How was this best value for the taxpayer?

And then in 2006 he designated his Fife house as his second home. "By doing this, he was entitled to claim most of the running costs of the detached property in North Queensferry, Fife, including a gardener and cleaner, and carry out extensive repairs and redec­­­oration at public expense."

Gordon Brown thought it was fine not to use the apartment, but to make taxpayers pay his second home expenses instead. That did not offend his Presbyterian conscience.