Sinn Fein MPs claim £310,000 expenses for rent on flats in properties all owned by one Irish landlord

Sinn Fein chiefs Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness and the party’s three other MPs have claimed £310,000 for second homes from the Commons authorities – despite never taking their seats.

The political wing of the IRA has claimed taxpayers’ cash to rent three London properties – which they say they share – and are all owned by the same London-based Irish landlord.

Adams, the party leader, and McGuinness, Northern Ireland’s Deputy First Minister, jointly claimed expenses of £3,600 a month to rent a two-bedroom flat in North London.

Sinn Fein MPs

Identical Televisions: Sinn Fein MPs Michelle Gildernew, Martin McGuinness, Gerry Adams and Pat Doherty

The three other MPs – Michelle Gildernew, Conor Murphy and Pat Doherty – claimed £5,400 a month to rent a shared, modern town house nearby. They also paid for use of a third property in the area.

The rates were well above the market norm for the area. The five MPs last night denied acting improperly. They insisted the money had been ‘legitimately claimed’ and that they ‘regularly’ travel to London for work, when they use the rented properties.

The MPs also submitted claims for identical televisions and stereo systems. Receipts submitted to the Commons authorities show that, in 2004, two of the flats shared by the MPs were equipped with 28in widescreen televisions, described as a ‘Samson’ brand, each costing £329, and Sony DVD cinema surround systems, each costing £230.

All the invoices they submitted were reportedly made out in the same handwriting. There was also a claim for a £795 three-seat settee at one flat and £385 Venetian blinds.

Earlier this year, it emerged that Sinn Fein MPs claimed a total of £662,660 of taxpayer-funded allowances in 2007-2008, including travel, offices and staff salaries.

The Sinn Fein MPs have never taken up their seats at Westminster because it would involve swearing an oath of allegiance to the Queen.

However, in 2001, as part of the Northern Irish Peace Process, they were given permission by the Government to start claiming parliamentary expenses, prompting cries of ‘treason’ and ‘shame’ in the Commons when the decision was announced.

The five MPs claimed an average of just £920 a year for flights to London – £10,500 less than other Northern Ireland MPs – suggesting they either did not claim for travel or rarely visited the mainland.

A Sinn Fein spokesman said: ‘It is widely known that Sinn Fein MPs travel regularly to London on parliamentary business and utilise the accommodation that we rent when there.

We do not purchase properties at public expense and therefore do not profit from the expenses. The rent we pay on these properties is inclusive of parking, utilities and housekeeping.’