Like most Epping Forest residents I don’t have a £1m second home (or first home!) so I have never had to deal with a possible capital gains tax bill of £180,000. When the Daily Telegraph first revealed how our MP told the parliamentary authorities that her second home was in London but told the tax authorities that her second home was in Theydon Bois I was prepared to wait for a full explanation. But all we have had instead is a legalistic statement which avoids the main issue.
I suggested on Saturday that Mrs Laing would be asked to pay the £180,000. David Cameron certainly stepped up the pressure over the weekend when he said in a response to a question about Eleanor Laing on The Politics Show:
He also implied she may not have long left on the Conservative front bench. As Shadow Justice Minister she can’t credibly speak on law and order issues if she is suspected of manipulating the rules.
Along with Ann Haigh and these people I don’t think she can credibly continue as our MP either. Those that make the rules should be scrupulous about how they obey them.
Quite. For somebody who lives just a few stops on the Central Line closer in than Ms. Laing I do find it amusing and yet somehow distressing that she could claim for a second home. In a sense thought that isn’t the point – the point is that so far most MPs have used the “I didn’t break any rules so technically I did nothing wrong” defence which seems to apply to Ms. Laing.
That is what’s unacceptable, the avoidance of any moral culpability. Too right Jon – time for her to go.