Andy Burnham faces landlord hypocrisy row over London flat

Labour Party leader hopeful Andy Burnham has been accused of hypocrisy over reports that he lets a London flat that was partly bought with MPs’ expenses cash.

The Makerfield by-election candidate bought the two-bedroom former council flat in Kennington in 2005, according to The Sun on Sunday.

It reports that its value has since doubled to £480,000.

The claim emerged days after the Greater Manchester Mayor called for tougher action against landlords who fail to bring homes up to a decent standard.

Good Landlord Charter

Speaking on the Social Housing Podcast, Mr Burnham said such properties should be bought through compulsory purchase orders.

He has also launched the Good Landlord Charter as mayor, with the scheme now covering 50% of rented homes in Greater Manchester.

The newspaper reported that mortgage interest on Mr Burnham’s London rental property had previously been paid through his MP’s expenses.

That was before the practice was stopped following the 2009 expenses scandal.

‘Whiff of hypocrisy’

Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative Party chairman, told The Sun on Sunday: “The self-styled King of the North, it turns out, has kept a rather comfortable foothold south of the river.

“Bought thanks to expenses, doubled in value, rented out for profit – despite cries of unfairness against the landlord class he is a part of.”

He added: “There is a certain whiff of hypocrisy.”

The financial arrangement has attracted criticism before.

In 2015, it was reported that Mr Burnham, then shadow health secretary, was letting the Kennington flat while claiming about £17,000 a year in expenses to rent another property nearby.

At the time, that arrangement was within the rules, although he was accused at the time of showing a ‘lack of judgement’.

Mr Burnham’s spokesman has declined to comment.