Balls is let off but expenses cut urged for MPs who share second homes

Cabinet couple Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper were cleared of exploiting Commons expenses on Wednesday - but not before Westminster's sleaze watchdog ordered a clean up of the system. Parliamentary Standards Commissioner John Lyon said it was wrong that two MPs who live together were allowed to claim the same lavish expenses as if they were living alone. His call came in a report into Mr Balls, the Schools Secretary, and Miss Cooper, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, who had been accused over their use of Additional Costs Allowances. The sleaze watchdog published its report following Additional Cost Allowance claims made by couple Ed Balls and Yvette Cooper These expenses are aimed at helping MPs with the cost of running a second home and, at the moment, married MPs can claim £24,000 a year each. Until recently, the expenses... [read full story]