MP Nick Herbert caught up in expenses row over second home

Mr Herbert was featured in a Daily Telegraph article which is exposing the amounts paid out to MPs.

It stated the shadow environment secretary claimed back 10,000 of the 14,700 stamp duty when he bought a home in Arundel with his partner.

He also charged for fees and a survey of the property and claimed for the entire monthly mortgage interest, even though his partner's name was on the deeds.

Mr Herbert said he was surprised and disappointed the Daily Telegraph had implied he had acted wrongly.

He and his partner Jason bought the house in Arundel as a second home after his election in 2005 because commuting to and from London each day was unrealistic.

He said: "I have claimed towards some of the cost of this, but only for some of the stamp duty '“ a one-off payment '“ and monthly mortgage interest. We make the capital repayments ourselves.

"I do not claim for any household items and we have not 'flipped' to re-designate our main home as it's always been clear we spend more nights in London than in West Sussex."

Full council tax was paid on both properties, he said. He believed the Telegraph included him because the home was co-owned by Jason rather than a husband or wife.

He added public anger about the scale of MPs' expenses was understandable. Tougher rules were needed and he supported David Cameron's desire to clean up the entire system.