Latest news with #expenses
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Angela Rayner ordered two beds costing £7k for her grace-and-favour Government flat
ordered two beds costing nearly £7,000 for her grace-and-favour Government flat, it emerged yesterday. The Deputy Prime Minister bought them in January, and they were installed on Valentine's Day. Ms Rayner lives in Winston Churchill's old Westminster home, Admiralty House, which was originally built to house the First Lord of the Admiralty. The previous resident was Michael Gove, the former housing secretary, and Ms Rayner moved into the property in December last year. At the time, a source close to Ms Rayner told the Mirror: 'It's become increasingly unsustainable not to have a government base in London now she's the Deputy Prime Minister.' Admiralty House is also where the last Labour deputy prime minister, John Prescott, lived. He became known as 'Two Jags' thanks to his two Jaguar cars. Admiralty House was built in the 18th century at the request of Viscount Howe, Admiral of the Fleet. It is one of several 'grace and favour' ministerial residences offered to Cabinet members – meaning Ms Rayner can stay there rent-free. The house has been divided into function rooms and three ministerial flats. And government-owned properties in the building were furnished with two new beds 'to replace end of life existing beds', according to Freedom of Information requests by the Guido Fawkes website. This cost £5,132.44 plus 20 per cent VAT with an additional bill of £498.14 plus 20 per cent VAT for installation – a total of £6,756.70 or £3,378.35 per bed. A Tory source said: 'First we had John 'Two Jags' Prescott and now we have Angela 'Two Beds' Rayner. A woman of the people she is not.' Last year, Ms Rayner was cleared by HMRC over the sale of her former council house in Stockport following a row about whether she owed capital gains tax. A Government spokesman said: 'One of the flats in Admiralty House is allocated to the Deputy Prime Minister in her official capacity. 'The maintenance of Admiralty House, including the replacement of end-of-life beds, is managed and administered by the Government Property Agency.' Sources said that the beds had been replaced as a matter of course to maintain the property.
CTV News
19 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
New report finds taxes remain the biggest expense for Canadian families
New report finds taxes remain the biggest expense for Canadian families CTV's Scott Hurst breaks down a new report which found Canadian families spent more on taxes in 2024 than on housing, food and clothing combined.
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Money experts warn of the costly mistake holidaymakers fall victim to
Holidaymakers risk unexpected expenses by relying solely on card payments abroad, with new research revealing that more than a third have found themselves caught out needing physical cash. Specifically, 39 per cent of those surveyed by the website Be Clever With Your Cash reported encountering unexpected situations where physical money was essential during their travels. The research highlighted that the most frequent instances requiring cash involved tipping, paying for taxi journeys, and shopping at smaller, independent retailers. Prepaid and specialist travel cards can make it easier to rely less on physical cash while travelling overseas. But those suddenly needing that cash could end up paying extra costs, the survey carried out by Opinium, among 2,000 people across the UK who have travelled abroad, indicates. The research found some people who had to make an emergency cash machine withdrawal on their last trip overseas were charged an ATM fee. Some people also said they turned to airport exchange desks for last-minute cash, even though they may potentially be getting a worse deal than if they had shopped around for their travel money and planned ahead. The website said that stepping outside major cities can also present challenges, as rural and remote areas in some countries could be less likely to accept cards. Amelia Murray, a money expert at Be Clever With Your Cash, said: 'There's still a blind spot when it comes to cash. Many people assume that having a fee-free card is enough, but that can be a false economy if you end up using an ATM abroad that charges or get stung by poor exchange rates. 'It's not about carrying wads of cash, it's about being prepared for those moments when a card simply won't cut it.' Ms Murray suggested packing a 'cash cushion' – a small amount of local currency that could be useful for tipping, local travel, or if holidaymakers end up somewhere that does not accept cards. She also suggested that holidaymakers make sure they understand their card's policy on fees and currency conversion before they travel. People may also want to check how much they would be covered for by their travel insurer if their cash is lost or stolen while they are abroad. Research released by financial information business Defaqto in May indicated that 91 per cent of annual and 86 per cent of single trip policies included cash cover as standard. Just over a third (35 per cent) of single trip travel insurance policies covered as much as £200 to £299, while a quarter (24 per cent) covered between £300 to £399, according to Defaqto 's analysis.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
North Bay's top financial officer wanted to revoke mayor's credit card
North Bay Mayor Peter Chirico faces scrutiny after an FOI request revealed $16,000 in personal expenses charged to a city credit card. Eric Taschner has more. Margaret Karpenko, North Bay's now former chief financial officer, recommended in 2024 that Mayor Peter Chirico lose his credit card, after Chirico used the card to pay for thousands of dollars in personal expenses. Karpenko, who was announced as the new CFO of Greater Sudbury on Friday, made the recommendation March 14, 2024, in a letter to city CAO John Severino. In the letter, she said she discovered items that 'required the immediate attention of the CAO.' Margaret Karpenko Margaret Karpenko, North Bay's now former chief financial officer, recommended in 2024 that Mayor Peter Chirico lose his credit card, after Chirico used the card to pay for thousands of dollars in personal expenses. (City of Greater Sudbury photo) 'It has been discovered that the corporate credit card belonging to Peter Chirico has been used to purchase a number of membership/expenses which are not identified under any bylaw,' Karpenko wrote. It was her understanding that Chirico had been spoken with about his improper use of the credit card, she said, adding that it was clear 'further communication with the individual are required.' She recommended that his 'credit card privileges (be) revoked and the card be immediately returned to the finance department.' Margaret Karpenko letter Former North Bay CFO Margaret Karpenko said in a March 2024 letter than Mayor Peter Chirico's credit card should be revoked. (Supplied) That didn't take place, however, and a Freedom of Information Act request uncovered more questionable expenses charged to Chirico's corporate credit card late into 2024. 'It has been discovered that the corporate credit card belonging to Peter Chirico has been used to purchase a number of membership/expenses which are not identified under any bylaw.' — Margaret Karpenko, North Bay's now former chief financial officer 'Actions, either unintentional or deliberate, that undermine the trust of the community, can have serious consequences for both the individual involved and the reputation of our municipality as a whole,' Karpenko wrote. The letter was one of the documents uncovered through another FOI made by Coun. Tayna Vrebosch. North Bay city Coun. Tanya Vrebosch North Bay city Coun. Tanya Vrebosch 'I know we have good staff and I know that if something was happening, somebody would have said something,' Vrebosch said Friday. 'So when I did that FOI, I made sure that I asked for every piece of correspondence in regards to the mayor's spending and with all staff.' The documents released in her FOI show that in 2023, an interim budget analyst sent an email to the city's director of strategic initiatives about concerns they were seeing. Repaid through payroll deduction And a letter from Chirico dated March 22, 2024, said he wanted to repay $6,139.48 in personal expenses he charged to the corporate card through payroll deductions. The controversy surrounding Chirico centres on another FOI that found he charged more than $16,000 in personal expenses on the corporate card in 2023 and 2024. Those expenses include cigarettes, dog treats and golf memberships. He has said he won't resign over the controversy and called on city integrity commissioner Guy Giorno to investigate. A call for a forensic audit of the mayor's expenses by some members of city council was defeated by a 7-3 vote. On Friday, the North Bay Police Service issued a news release in response to several questions they have received about whether they have launched a criminal investigation into the matter. North Bay city hall While the controversy has raged in the media, city councillors voted last Tuesday not to hire an independent audit to probe Chirico's expenses, and to rely on the integrity commissioner investigation instead. (Eric Taschner/CTV News) Police said they can't comment specifically on Chirico, but said 'that police services have a responsibility to conduct investigations into complaints or reports of criminal activity.' Since Chirico is chair of the North Bay police services board, North Bay police said they couldn't investigate him because of a conflict of interest. North Bay Mayor Peter Chirico North Bay Mayor Peter Chirico says he won't resign over the expenses controversy. (File) 'Any complaint or report pertaining to a member of the North Bay police services board would be referred to another police service for investigation,' the release said. Anyone who believes that any member of the board has committed misconduct can file a complaint with the inspector general here. 'If there are grounds to believe that misconduct has occurred, the inspector general is required to investigate,' North Bay police said. 'If a complaint is received by the board or the chief, it must be forwarded to the inspector general.' Complaints made directly to North Bay police would also be forwarded to the inspector general, police added. Vrebosch said the revelations have people in the city 'angry' and said the issue won't go away. 'I keep telling them, I said 'North Bay, keep getting loud' she said. ''Keep sending those emails. Keep making phone calls.'' For her part, Karpenko resigned from her job in North Bay on Thursday and will formally become CFO in Greater Sudbury in September. 'I'm honoured to step into the role of executive director of finance and chief financial officer and to join the City of Greater Sudbury team,' she said in a news release Friday. 'I look forward to working collaboratively with staff, mayor and council to ensure the city is well-positioned to support its growth, advance strategic priorities and embrace future opportunities.'
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Lib Dem MP tried to put half pint of cider on expenses
A Liberal Democrat MP tried to charge taxpayers for a £1.85 half-pint of cider, despite earning a salary of more than £91,000. Racael Gilmour, who represents Tiverton and Minehead, was also successful in claiming expenses for golf club hospitality and birthday cards. Ms Gilmour submitted the £11.81 claim in December 2024 for a pub meal, which included chips, a halloumi wrap, a hot drink, and a half-pint of Thatchers Haze cider. The claim for alcohol was flagged by Parliamentary authorities and rejected. However, the MP did succeed in claiming £5.50 for 'beverages', £2.75 for hospitality at Tiverton Golf Club, and £5.50 for a birthday card, all of which were reimbursed on expenses. Ms Gilmour, who previously made headlines after taking an evening fall in Parliament, has drawn criticism from campaigners, who have called for her to pay back the money. James Wright, a Conservative campaigner, said: 'At a time when families are being squeezed by rising bills, people will rightly ask why a Liberal Democrat MP is attempting to expense cider and claiming drinks at the golf club. 'Like Labour, the Lib Dems are good at spending other people's money. If Rachel Gilmour respected her voters, she'd pay it all back.' A Labour source said: 'This shows the Lib Dems love a bit of wining and dining, and comes in the same week they joined forces with the Tories in Parliament to oppose Labour's measures to make workers' rights in hospitality more secure.' It is not known whether any of the approved claims have been voluntarily reimbursed. Ms Gilmour has previously faced criticism for allegedly swearing at security guards during a visit to Hinkley Poin t, and for employing her son in her taxpayer-funded office. At the time she referred herself to the parliamentary watchdog saying: 'This was an honest mistake. Henry was assisting me with the setting up of my office in a voluntary capacity.' At the time of the Hinkley Point incident, Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty took to Twitter/X saying: 'Anybody who's seen Rachel Gilmour around the Parliamentary Estate, or in the bar, won't be surprised by reports of this behaviour.' Legacy of frittering Ms Gilmour denied the reports of the 'language used' at the time. MPs are permitted to claim reasonable costs for meals, travel and office administration, but alcohol, personal gifts and leisure expenses are explicitly discouraged. A spokesperson for Rachel Gilmour said: 'Within the role of a Member of Parliament, there are many expenses which would be considered reasonable to claim for, as per IPSA [Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority] guidelines. 'Rachel Gilmour has accurately logged her expenses with IPSA, and where appropriate those have been paid. 'Conservative Party commentators are in no position to criticise hard-working MPs with their legacy of frittering away taxpayers' money by the Conservative Governments of Johnson and Truss.' In 2023 some 46,562 beers were consumed at parliamentary bars. It is not clear whether these were pints or bottles. MPs have access to several bars across the Parliamentary Estate, where drinks are cheaper than nearby central London pubs.
