John Bercow the new Speaker for the House of Commons has according to according to the Daily Telegraph this morning alledegdy spent £20,000 on refurbishments to the Speaker’s palace.  Mr Bercow has said that as he now has his young family (aged one, three and five) are living in the Speaker’s palace alterations are necessary.  The Daily Telegraph has produced evidence that the work will be paid for by the Parliamentary Estates Directorate which carries out work for the Palace of Westminster.

After the recent expenses scandal the election of a new speaker was to many a way to boost public confidence and trust in parliament.  Mr Bercow helped support this at the time by saying that he would not claim the controversial second home allowance (up to £24,000 per year), which is the main aspect of the expenses system which the electorate have been misled, confused and angered by.  This is also one reason why the Sunlight Centre is launching a Private Prosecution against the former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. The refurbishment plans include:

• £7,524.30 on a new sofa and window cushions for the drawing room
• Replacement of bathroom carpet with washable floor £691.72
• Planters to provide child protection on terrace £3,880
• Redecoration of former study to a playroom £1, 087
• Ikea double bed for nanny’s room £479

 

Looking on the surface of many outside the Westminster Village will find this expense completely uneccessary particularly as Mr Bercow’s predecessor as Speaker, Michael Martin spent £724,600 on refurbishing the residence between 2000 and early 2008, plus a further £992,000 on the garden and improved security.  The electorate will ask themselves what else needs to be done?  The cost of refurbishment is circa £20,000 and this is almost the same amount that Mr Bercow declared he would stop claiming with the second home allowance.

Mr Bercow has remarked that the apartment is not child friendly therefore he could use this justification for some safety changes to the apartment, such as child proof locks on windows and other child safety devices.  However it would seem unacceptable to pay over £7,500 for a new sofa and cushions and to fit out the nanny’s apartment, items which many in the electorate would regard as an extravagance.

Perhaps as a way to placate commons officials over the expenses scandal, Mr Bercow he will personally pay for other items such as the children’s wendy house and their climbing frame.

 

 

Published on August 5th, 2009 by chris