Brown caught on expenses

So, around 06-07, Brown claimed the allowance for his constituency home while also charging the taxpayer for council tax and other bills on another property in London.

It's not about the amount of money he claimed on the London property - some £512, certainly a mistake - but the principle of it: after all, this is the misdemeanour which Darling was charged with earlier in the week, and the Chancellor had to both explain himself and pay back the extra money.

That was inadvertent. It's just what happens if your claims get a little complicated and you're poor at numbers with no eye for detail.

The disgusting angle is: what was any minister with grace and favour accommodation doing claiming for any second home anywhere?

Greedy Brown now says no one living in grace and favour accommodation should make a second home claim.

If it is wrong now - and obviously it is - why was it right then?