Nigel Griffiths is a former minister and close friend of Gordon BrownThe former minister and close friend of Gordon Brown also argued that a flat-screen television was the best option because he lived in a “cramped flat”.
Mr Griffiths recently admitted to a sexual liaison with a woman in his parliamentary office on Remembrance Sunday last November.
He initially denied being unfaithful to his wife of 30 years, Sally, but was forced to confess after pictures of the tryst were published.
John Lyon, the standards commissioner, received a number of formal complaints about Mr Griffiths, but ruled he had done nothing wrong and had not broken the MPs’ code of conduct by engaging in a sexual assignation within the Palace of Westminster.
The MP for Edinburgh South and former deputy leader of the Commons was taken to task by the fees office in May 2004.
When his £3,604.99 claim for a television, DVD and digital radio was queried, he wrote: “As a Scottish MP, I can only keep in touch with events during the day, which might affect my constituents, by tuning into the Scottish radio stations which the digital set provides.
“Likewise, I record the Scottish TV news and Scottish current affairs programmes, which feature issues in Scotland and in south Edinburgh. In a cramped London flat, flat-screen TV is the sensible option.”
Unimpressed, the fees office wrote back four days later to tell him it had not changed its mind: “Whilst we understand your explanation for the need for the purchase of these items, it is the level of your purchases that remains under question. “An amount of £3,604.99 is not considered to be an appropriate use of public funds when other more reasonably priced options are available.”
Mr Griffiths was asked to contact the director of operations if he wanted to argue the matter further. He did not do so. In November 2004, the MP successfully claimed £9,250 to redecorate the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom in his London flat, £220 for a carpet and £230 for pots and kitchen utensils.
Six months later, he claimed again for redecoration and was reimbursed by the fees office for £4,911. Mr Griffiths redecorated a third time in 2006 and charged the taxpayer £3,310, which was approved.
He said he bought the television to replace one he purchased in Edinburgh in 1983 and a DVD player to replace a 1986 video recorder.
“I mainly use [them] to watch recordings of Scottish TV news programmes affecting my constituents. I also purchased a digital radio, again primarily for listening to BBC Radio Scotland and other stations carrying news of relevance to my constituents.
“I asked the fees office whether these items were refundable and was told to put the request in writing, which I did. The fees office came to the view that they were not eligible for funding.
“None of the items were paid for out of any parliamentary allowance.”
Mr Griffiths said he had decided to redecorate after 14 years and the cost, mainly for labour, “was not exceptional”.
Nigel Griffiths
Job: backbench Labour MP
Salary: £64,766
Total second home claims
2004-05: £20,902
2005-06: £21,394
2006-07: £21,569
2007-08: £15,943
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