“You don’t need an overly suspicious mind to find this claim unconvincing”

| Readers 4

The heavily redacted MPs’ expenses documents released today frustrated, to a point, Mathew Taylor’s examination of his MP’s claims. And as David Leigh notes

The official version of the expenses carries the claim that scans have been “edited to remove information which could cause serious security issues and breach the privacy of the MP, their staff and other third parties”. You don’t need an overly suspicious mind to find this claim unconvincing.

But even un-redacted we wouldn’t know what the £105,000 claimed in 2007/08 by the 5 Sinn Féin MPs for renting their infrequently visited London additional homes was spent on. But, if their all inclusive service and rental contracts covered “rent, gas, electricity, water, council taxes, waste, furnishings, cleaning, laundry and insurance”, why did Gerry Adams, MP, MLA, claim for £130.64 against “Utilities” between 01/04/07 and 31/05/07? Adds Just a thought..

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