Standards committee to rule on George Osborne's mortgage claim

The Commons standards committee will meet today to debate what sanctions the shadow chancellor, George Osborne, should face over allegations that he overclaimed expenses for mortgage payments on his second home. A report by the standards commissioner delivered to the committee yesterday, is understood to have concluded that Osborne breached the rules – albeit unintentionally – and he could be ordered to pay back some of the money. The allegation is that Osborne claimed for interest payments on a £450,000 mortgage for a second home he bought for £445,000. Osborne has consistently claimed that he did not profit from the arrangement and denies any impropriety. The cross-party committee for standards in public life received the report based on a six-month inquiry conducted by the standards commissioner, John Lyon, on Monday and now has the power to require Osborne, who is MP for Tatton, to either apologise or repay the money. The original complaint was made by Laurie Burton, the chair of the Labour party in Osborne's constituency. He told the Guardian: "I watched the news of expenses fiddling last year and felt I had to do something. It seemed to me to be a clear breech of all fairness." He said that he had been informed by the office of the commissioner for standards that the inquiry had concluded but had also been warned that today's session by the committee may require a second meeting next week. If that happens it could be another two weeks before the report is officially made public. The Conservatives have said that the complaint against Osborne was politically motivated. A spokesperson for Osborne refused to comment on the findings of the unpublished report.