Clegg hands homely profit back to Commons authorities

The Deputy Prime Minister has offloaded the four-bedroom house in the Bents Green area of the city and moved into a rented two-bedroom flat in the Rivelin Valley at Stannington.

Sheffield Hallam MP Mr Clegg sold the house, which he bought in 2006 for £280,000 and which had been on the market since September, for £325,000.

Although not obliged to, he has now written a cheque for £38,750 – the profit, minus legal fees and costs – to pay back the profit, keeping a pre-election promise.

“It’s a personal commitment I made, not something the system requires,” he said. “I’ve written a cheque and sent it to the House of Commons authorities to make sure it goes back to the taxpayer.

“It’s not something required of me. It’s not something I expect other MPs of any party to do. I’ve had the benefit of living in that house and I wanted to give the benefit back to the taxpayer.

“I’m not going to be holier than thou about it. The expenses scandals made people very very angry. At the time I said MPs should get out of the property game, which is happening, which I pushed for.”

Asked about his new home, Mr Clegg said: “It’s a two-bedroom flat and I love it. The Rivelin Valley is a great area too. It would be great to go down to the river to throw stones in the water with the kids when I bring them up here.”

Mr Clegg’s main home is in Putney, south-west London, which he shares with wife Miriam Gonzales and their three sons.

Expenses rules introduced by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (Ipsa) mean that MPs will no longer be able to claim mortgage payments towards their second homes after August next year.