Keens split on expenses vote

Jul 4 2008 By Robert Cumber

Ann and Alan Keen

Alan Keen voted to keep MPs' second home allowances, while his wife Ann skipped the crunch debate.

Members voted by a majority of 28 to keep the additional costs allowance, used to cover the expense of running a second home, along with other expenses.

Ann and Alan, MPs for Brentford & Isleworth and Feltham & Heston, have spent s175,000 of taxpayers' cash on a flat in Waterloo, despite living just nine miles from parliament in Brentford.

Last night's vote followed a five-month inquiry into members' pay and expenses, launched after Tory MP Derek Conway was shamed for overpaying his son for Parliamentary work.

Proposals to change the system included an end to the 'John Lewis' list, which allows MPs to claim for household items, and external auditing of claims.

Lib Dem MP Nick Harvey, who helped draw up the proposals, said the vote would make it 'very hard' to restore public confidence in MPs.