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MPs are cashing in by claiming taxpayers’ money to rent homes in London while letting out ­properties they own in the capital.

Tory Liam Fox is one of 16 involved.

He has claimed £150,000 for a flat since 2012 but earns at least £10,000 a year renting his home, papers show.

One housing charity said: “It’s scandalous. End this gravy train.”

With many people struggling to scrape together rent money, hearing MPs are ­getting ­taxpayers’ cash to boost theirs is bound to spark fury.

Tory heavyweight Mr Fox has claimed £150,000 for his home in the capital since 2012.

His register of interests also reveals he earns “over £10,000 a year” renting out his other house, which taxpayers helped to buy.

Labour MP David Crausby has claimed £168,517 for renting a second London home since 2010.

But he earns rent from a flat he bought with public help.

The revelations came after the Mirror yesterday told how more than 165 MPs made £42million profit on selling taxpayer-funded houses they bought.

(Image: ROY FISHER)

And even though politicians have broken no rules over the rental claims or flogging their homes, it will not help them regain the public trust they lost over the expenses scandal 10 years ago.

Campaign group Defend Council Housing branded our revelations “scandalous”.

Chair Eileen Short said: “This government protects private landlords and ­developers, while they slash council housing and let rents soar.

“And now we know why. We need to take every penny to invest in new and existing council housing, and end this gravy train now. MPs should live like other people do.”

Dr Fox, who earns £143,500 a year as a minister, was elected MP in 1992 and bought his London property in 1995 for £116,995, designating it his second home under the old expenses system.

He claimed £63,785 in mortgage interest payments between 2004 and 2009 but was ordered to pay back £22,476.

(Image: Getty)

He was also ordered to hand back £3,000 in expenses because he allowed friend Adam Werritty to stay rent-free.

The rules for second homes stated it should not be claimed for the living costs “of anyone other than yourself”.

The property is now worth £727,000, giving Mr Fox a profit on paper of £610,000.

When the Mirror visited the flat, the occupant confirmed he rented it from Dr Fox.

Bolton North East MP Mr Crausby bought a flat in the capital with his wife in 2003.

Between 2004 and 2009, he claimed £51,724 in mortgage interest payments for the property.

It is now worth around £716,000. A woman living there confirmed she was the tenant of the Crausbys.

At least two other MPs are claiming rent while owning ­subsidised second London homes.

Tory Philip Davies has claimed £147,775 since 2010.

The MP for Shipley in West ­Yorkshire bought a £275,000 flat in South London in 2005.

(Image: PA)

He designated it as his second home and claimed £58,247 in mortgage interest from 2005 to 2009.

According to his register of interests Mr Davies is claiming rent from a flat in London.

Tory MP for Scarborough and Whitby Robert ­Goodwill bought a London flat in 2006 for £295,000 and claimed £9,731 in stamp duty and legal costs.

He claimed £41,628 in mortgage interest payments between 2006 and 2009.

Since 2012, MPs have been unable to claim mortgage interest payments and Mr Goodwill moved into a rented flat.

He has claimed £123,000 in rent from the taxpayer in eight years.

His register of interests reveal he has earned money from letting out a flat in London since April 2012.

Mr Goodwill insisted it was no longer rented and his son was staying there.

He added: “I bought it expecting I would be able to stay there for the duration of my time in ­Parliament.

"I did rent the flat out until August 2018 and paid tax on this income.”

North ­Shropshire Tory MP Owen Paterson owns a taxpayer-funded London house worth £1.3million.

He was letting it out for profit while claiming up to £20,000 a year for renting another property. He stopped this in 2017.

Labour MP Chris Bryant sold his London flat for £477,000 and bought a new one for £495,000.

But after the rules changed he moved out in 2005. He began to rent out the property for around £3,000 a month.

He moved into a new home and between July 2010 and January 2015, claimed £84,350 for rent.

Mr Bryant said: “This was independently audited 10 years ago and judged to be fully in order.”

MPs are now barred from claiming mortgage interest payments on their second homes but they can claim up to £22,760 a year in rent.

They must declare properties they rent for more than £10,000 a year.

How claim rules were re-written

THEN: The discredited old House of Commons Green Book rules said the Additional Cost Allowance was to “reimburse members for necessary costs incurred when staying overnight away from their main home for the purpose of Parliamentary duties”.

MPs could rent a second home or buy it and, by 2009, had a maximum of around £24,000 a year to spend on rent or claim for mortgage interest payments, and costs like council tax, utility bills and furnishings.

All but a handful of inner-London members were allowed to make claims for second home costs. Receipts were not needed for items costing less than £250.

NOW: Since 2010, rules have been tightened. Mortgage interest claims are banned and MPs can claim up to £22,760 a year to rent – not buy – a second home, and extra for those with dependent children.

The number of MPs eligible for taxpayer help was cut. Those with constituencies within 20 miles – or 60 minutes – of Central London cannot get rent subsidies.

However, all MPs now earn £79,468 a year – up £13,730 or 21% since 2010.

Labour: Now justify use of public cash

Labour has called on individual MPs to “account for their use of public money”.

It follows the Mirror revealing that more than 165 politicians had sold taxpayer-subsidised second homes for at least £42million profit.

Labour are the only party to speak out following our probe to mark the 10th anniversary of the expenses scandal.

Our shocking report also showed another 170 own second homes that have soared by nearly £100million in value.

A Labour Party official said: “We legislated for a transparent and independent body to oversee and regulate MPs’ expenses. MPs can no longer claim for a mortgage as a result of the wide-ranging reforms.”

Ellen Lees, from campaign group We Own It, said: “At a time when the Government is squeezing, cutting and selling off public services, the fact that MPs have pocketed £42million selling properties the taxpayer funded is beyond scandalous.”

One of the current and former MPs we found sitting on taxpayer-funded nest eggs is former Northern Ireland Secretary Theresa Villiers.

She bought a £345,000 London base in 2008, though she had a house 14 miles from Westminster, claiming £19,547 for mortgage interest payments on the flat, now worth £560,000.

Her spokesman said: “Theresa has been re-elected three times since these events and considers the matter to be closed.”

Labour MP John Mann said: “The understanding after the expenses scandal was that parliament would claim back profits made from house sales. I am surprised to learn that this appears not to be happening.”

But an Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority official said: “There are no plans to ask MPs to make any additional payments, seven years after mortgage claims ended.”

Additional reporting: Amy Coles, Amy-Clare Martin, Matthew Young