Tories Taking the Michael 1: "Chris Grayling Lives in a Cess Pit"

Further to our last post and Guido's comment on that I've taken a further look at the Sunday Mirror exclusive. this has me old schooly Chris Grayling taking the piss out of the "second homes" allowance with a one-bedroom, possibly disgraced Tory Dame Shirley Porter legacy, ex-Council flat, bought for £127,000 and now worth around twice that.

Grayling has claimed more than £100,000 towards that pied a terre, even though he lives just 17 miles away. Neighbours say he is rarely if ever seen at the flat. But that little bit of background rooting is the only "exclusive" part of the story which is otherwise "old hat". Here's what he said himself in January 2008:

"The final element of my costs is the Additional Costs Allowance. This allows us to stay in London overnight, and is payable to any MP from outside London. I have a small flat near the Houses of Parliament which I use when I am working very late. This might appear an odd thing for someone with a constituency close to London to do, but job of an MP, and particularly a front bench spokesman means that I work very erratic and late hours most days when the House of Commons is sitting."

As Mr Grayling says: "This might appear an odd thing for someone with a constituency close to London to do ..." His explanation is pitiful actually. He lives 17 miles away. There are excellent transport connections. A taxi door to door would only be about £20. There is no way that I can believe that he stays there very much. In fact he doesn't even say that he does. He simply says:

"... I work very erratic and late hours most days when the House of Commons is sitting."

Implying he uses the place, but leaving vast wriggle room for driving or being driven home to Surrey. Good skills Chris, mate.

The Sunday Mirror themselves had caught him out fibbing in a conference time interview implying that he had to live in a paper bag floating in a cess pit squalid, leaky, electric shock death slum. "Shade does", as we used to say incomprehensibly at the old school.

In fact Mr Chris already owned four houses worth millions and his point about Tories not all being filthy rich rentiers and the like really didn't stand close inspection.

We should slice this Gordian Knot asunder with the sword of truth. Give them all a hefty pay rise consolidating these allowances. It is the system itself bringing the system into disrepute. Even if the likes of Grayling provide "just a shade" of entertainment with their acrobatic disingenuity.

UPDATE 20:07: Added picture of the "Shadowy Home" Secretary Chris Grayling coming to realise his party shouldn't be throwing stones given the homes they live in. From Mike Alderson's Open Eye Chat whose Twitter Feed stated around 5pm:

UK Shadow Home Secretary (Tough) Chris Grayling will use a speech tomorrow to outline plans for a major overhaul of the justice system.