MP Eric gets in a pickle

The Brentwood and Ongar MP was at the centre of slow motion car crash television when he defended having a second home on Question Time this week.

Mr Pickles, who has always been open about his parliamentary allowance, faced plenty of jeers by the Newcastle audience when he spoke about his additional home near Westminster, which taxpayers help pay for.

Mr Pickles admitted on the BBC1 show he had not put forward the best possible case and now in the Gazette he has a chance to explain why he needs a second home when he lives just 37 miles away.

"I purchased my London flat from my savings and income. I choose not to take the full amount allocated by parliament," he said.

I recognise that some MPs representing London constituencies have brought the system into disrepute by claiming for second homes equal distance from their constituency home, or for dwellings not in their ownership. I deplore this behaviour.

"I use the allowance from parliament to defray some of the running cost including the interest element but not the principal cost of my mortgage."

So what really riled the audience?

Perhaps it was when Mr Pickles said the House of Commons "works like clockwork" and he frequently had to make it in by 9.30am.

At one point David Dimbleby sarcastically interjected: "Like a job, in other words?"

Things then only got worse and one angry audience member asked Mr Pickles if he thought Sir Fred Goodwin, former chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland, should pay back some of his pension.

Then when Mr Pickles said yes the audience member angrily replied: "But he's played within the rules. Don't you think that's a bit hypocritical?"

Lib Dem parliamentary candidate for Brentwood and Ongar David Kendall said: "I think he should do the right thing and stop claiming this allowance immediately."