Page "Kenneth Clarke" Paragraph 22

On 12 May 2009, The Daily Telegraph reported that Clarke had " flipped " his council tax.

He had told the Parliamentary authorities that his main home was in his Rushcliffe constituency, enabling him to claim a second homes allowance on his London home and leaving the taxpayer to foot the bill for the council tax due on that property.

However, he told Rushcliffe Borough Council in Nottinghamshire that he spent so little time at his constituency address that his wife Gillian should qualify for a 25 % council-tax ( single person's ) discount, saving the former chancellor around £ 650 per year.

Land registry records showed that Clarke did not have a mortgage on his home in Nottinghamshire, where he has lived since 1987.

He instead held a mortgage on his London house, which he had most recently charged to the taxpayer at £ 480 per month.