The fees office did not want to antagonise Brian Donohoe or appear pettyMr Donohoe put through a £2,575 receipt for one three-seat sofa and two double-seaters after buying them in Ayr in February 2006.
He was challenged by the fees office as the address printed on the invoice was that of his main home in Scotland, not his flat in London, which he designated as his second home.
He provided another receipt containing the address in the capital but officials then considered questioning the sum, as it was £75 more than is allowed for a three-piece suite.
However, an internal memo states: “I’m aware of the £2,500 guideline set for furniture but as Mr Donohoe has exceeded this by £75, I don’t see any benefit in reducing this claim. It would antagonise Mr Donohoe and would make ourselves seem petty.” The expenses file for Mr Donohoe, who represents Central Ayrshire, shows that he spent thousands of pounds worth of public money on renovating a London flat before selling it.
He had owned the property since 1993 and in 2004-05 was reimbursed £2,190 for secondary glazing, £4,409 on furniture and £3,500 for a new bathroom.
In November 2005, he sold the flat for £173,000 and began renting a property near Westminster. The following summer he bought another flat nearby for £430,000 and claimed £1,733 in legal fees.
The fees office had to ask him to return the £1,650 deposit on the rented flat.
Mr Donohoe said: “At the time this work was done on the windows and bathroom, I was planning to stay in the flat. I didn’t know I would be selling it later that year.
“The furniture was in fact delivered to London, and is in my current flat.”
Brian Donohoe
Job: backbench Labour MP for Ayrshire Central
Salary: £64,766
Total second home claims
2004-05: £17,552
2005-06: £21,512
2006-07: £22,110
2007-08: £23,083
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