Lord Bassam claimed for travel between London and Brighton as well as an allowance to cover nights spent away

A senior Labour peer has admitted wrongly claiming nearly £41,000 of taxpayers’ money following an investigation into his travel expenses.

Lord Bassam, who is the opposition chief whip in the House of Lords and attends Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet, said last night he would repay the money he had claimed for travel between London and his Brighton home since 2010 after it was revealed he was also being paid an allowance to cover nights spent away from his main residence.

Since 2010 Bassam has been paid a salary as chief whip of £63,537 a year, as well as an extra Lords office holders’ allowance of £36,366 a year.

The £36,366 payment is given to peers to cover “expenses in staying overnight away from their main