Greg Barker has became the first Tory MP shamed in the expenses scandal, using the controversial second homes allowance for personal gain.

The Telegraph “>reported today that:

The multi-millionaire, who is the first senior Tory to be implicated in the growing MPs’ expenses scandal, owned the flat for 27 months before he sold it and moved back to his old address. The case highlights the way in which MPs are able to climb the property ladder with the help of the controversial second homes allowance.

Mr Barker, who made a reputed £7.4 million selling his stake in a recruitment advertising firm, bought the property in Chelsea for £480,000 in November 2004, claiming £15,875 for stamp duty and other purchase costs, then claimed back a further £27,928 in mortgage interest payments in the next two years. He sold the flat for £800,000 in February 2007.

Details of the move would have been kept secret when MPs expenses were published because all addresses would be obscured but uncensored copies of the claims obtained by The Daily Telegraph showed how Mr Barker repeatedly changed his designated second home – submitting large claims at different properties.

He’s not the first Conservative MP to abuse expenses so blatantly of course, who can forget the charming Derek Conway and family?

· About the author: Sunny Hundal is editor of Liberal Conspiracy. He works full time as a journalist, commentator, blogger, activist and general layabout. He was voted Guardian blogger of the year in 2006. Also at: Pickled Politics, on Twitter and Comment is free.

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· Filed under: Blog , Conservative Party , Our democracy , Westminster

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