Telegraph wrong again

12.45.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 30th May 2009

For a second time the Daily Telegraph has published an inaccurate and misleading story about Sir Alan Beith MP, this time implying that he accepted a windfall on his rented London flat leading to higher rent bills being claimed on it. This is untrue.

In his reply to the Telegraph which was ignored in its report Sir Alan said:

"I refused an offer from the new landlords of Dolphin Square of £48,000 to give up my tenancy either by leaving or by taking a new tenancy at a higher market rent without any security of tenure. I decided that it would be better value for the tax payer if I stayed in the unmodernised flat on the protected terms, and renewed the kitchen; I was offered and accepted £5,000 to give up any succession rights that might arise under the tenancy, and set aside this money for redecoration of the flat, which could otherwise have been claimed from the allowance. I was not liable to capital gains tax on this sum.

"I am referring my decision to the Commissioner for Standards so that he can rule on whether it was appropriate."