MPs in cosy rent deals with their own parties

Politicians are banking hundreds of thousands of pounds for their parties every year by renting offices from them.

A Sunday Post probe has identified 32 MPs, MSPs and MEPs who rent constituency offices which are owned by their respective political parties.

Former First Minister Alex Salmond, Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie and ex-Labour leader Iain Gray are among those who added more than £180,000 in rent to the coffers of parties through the arrangement in 2013/14.

In one case Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead and Angus Robertson MP paid a total of £11,000 rent in 2013/14 for an office owned by their local Moray SNP constituency branch which it bought for just £50,000 13 years ago.

Most of the local branches renting out premises also receive payment for other services such as photocopying, cleaning or utility bills.

None of the claims are breaking parliamentary rules but critics have called for an urgent review of the set-up.

Eben Wilson, director of TaxpayerScotland, said: “There’s an air of artificiality in these arrangements that smacks of funds diverted for financial gain beyond political need.

“While it is no doubt all legal, Scottish taxpayers should not be used as a bank to maximise the value of political party assets.”

The total rent claimed by Tory MSPs last year was just over £23,000, while Labour MSPs and MPs banked £51,750 for their party in rental payments.

Among the highest claims for Labour came from East Lothian MSP Iain Gray and MP Fiona O’Donnell, who claimed £8,040 and £7,720 respectively for their space in offices owned by the local Labour Party.

Kilmarnock Labour MP Cathy Jamieson and Stirling’s Anne Mcguire MP and Richard Simpson MSP all rent their offices from Labour Party Properties, an investment company owned by their party.

Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie paid £2,250 rent on an office in Cupar owned by the North East and Central Fife Lib Dems.

Meanwhile, the total haul for the SNP was £84,090.

The Elgin office of Mr Lochhead and Mr Robertson was bought by the Moray Constituency Association of the SNP for £50,000 in 2002 and is now worth £58,000, according to the branch’s latest available accounts.

The rental payments from Holyrood and Westminster have been a regular income since then, but the association’s accounts show it still has £23,271 in mortgage payments outstanding.

An SNP spokeswoman said: “Independent valuations have been carried out for these premises to ensure that the rents are fair and reasonable, delivering value for money for the taxpayer, which they do.

“These have been lodged with the appropriate parliamentary authorities in the proper way.”

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “All MPs and MSPs should seek to get the best value for the taxpayer for their office space so they can most effectively serve the interests of their constituents and the communities they represent.”

The Tories and Lib Dems failed to respond when asked for a comment.