OSBOURNE IN SLEAZE INQUIRY

Parliamentary Standards Commissioner John Lyon announced that he would look into a complaint that the Shadow Chancellor “claimed for mortgage payments that were not necessarily incurred, contrary to the rules of the House”.

He allegedly took out a mortgage of nearly £5,000 more than the reported price of his house and claimed allowances to cover interest payments on the whole debt rather than just the purchase.

A spokesman for Mr Osborne said: “This is a political complaint by the local Labour Party. George is relaxed about it and has always been very open in answering questions about his expenses.

“His arrangements have always sought to minimise the interest costs to the taxpayer.”

Complainant Laurie Burton, Labour Party chairman in Mr Osborne’s constituency of Tatton, Cheshire, denied he was politically motivated.