This man, along with eight other cabinet ministers, charged us £11,000 for tax accountants. Other cabinet ministers include Hazel Blears, Geoff Hoon, Jacqui Smith, David Miliband, Hilary Benn, James Purnell and Douglas Alexander.
Darling claimed more than £1,300 for accountancy advice over two years. One claim in February 2008, included the cost of receiving advice on 'the treatment of rental expenses against income', which seems to be a reference to his decision to rent out the flat he owned in London after he moved into a grace-and-favour apartment in Downing Street on becoming chancellor in 2007.
Hoon claimed almost £3,000 for accountancy - more than any other cabinet minister. Under tax rules, most workers are not allowed to claim the cost of paying an accountant to help them to fill in a tax return as a legitimate business expense.
Mr Darling was asked why it was appropriate in his role for him to claim for the cost of completing his self-assessment tax return. In a statement he replied: "Like many MPs, I employed an accountant to prepare tax returns for each of the years in question to ensure that the correct amount of tax was paid."
Exactly Mr Darling, you employed an accountant not the public so you pay for the service. I could live very well on £11,000 for a whole year - even although I still paying a mortgage because your pal Gordon messed up my endowment policies.
Source: The Telegraph
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