Mr Wright, a junior housing minister, asked the Commons fees office if he could buy furniture at taxpayers' expense even before he had purchased a property, saying that he wanted to use up all his allowance for the year.He was told that for form's sake he should wait until after the general election to see if he would be returned as an MP.
Mr Wright's flatmate, Mr Watson, the minister for digital engagement, spent the maximum of £4,800 in a single year on food, and had his expenses cut after buying a set of dining room chairs that exceeded the limit set by the fees office.
Both men later claimed for a half share of the legal costs involved in the original purchase of the Westminster mansion flat, and then the fees involved in buying the freehold of the property a short time later.
By purchasing the freehold, the MPs will have added significantly to the value of the apartment, but are under no obligation to pass on to the taxpayer any profits made when they sell the flat in future.
After winning the by-election that resulted from the resignation of Lord Mandelson as MP for Hartlepool in 2004, Mr Wright used his additional costs allowance, which members can use to fund a second home, to stay in a variety of London hotels.
In April 2005, two days after Tony Blair had called a general election for the following month, he wrote to the Commons fees office, saying: "Feel like I'm bothering you all the time, but I don't want to run foul of the regulations. Today I'm putting in a claim for £1,811, which includes £1,200 for things I've bought like bedding, kitchen equipment etc. I haven't yet bought a house although I'm in the very early stages.
"It's still OK to claim isn't it? It seems stupid to carry it over into next year when a large chunk of my ACA would go unused. Let me know your advice."
After purchasing the Westminster flat with Mr Watson, a close ally of Gordon Brown who was forced to deny involvement in the recent Damian McBride email scandal, the pair each submitted thousands of pounds for arrangement fees and stamp duty.
They did the same the following year when they purchased the freehold of the property, claiming £1,431.46 for more legal expenses.
As well as claiming for up to £375 a month for food, Mr Wright regularly submitted claims for toiletries, before being advised that these were not admissible under the rules. Mr Watson also spent significant sums on food, on at least one occasion exceeding the £400-a-month limit.
His expenses were docked again in 2006 when he claimed £210 too much for a set of dining room chairs.
Yesterday, Mr Watson was at pains to point out that a "pizza wheel" that appears on a Marks & Spencer receipt he submitted was given as a free gift after he went on a £150 spending spree at the store.
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1 people have spoken:
Have you visited the arrogant cunt's blog? "Total cunt" is a nice way of describing the sweaty sock fuckin' parasite.
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