AFZAL ANWAR ASKS GORDON PRENTICE: TELL US THE FACTS ABOUT YOUR SECOND HOUSE MORTGAGE CLAIMS

6.59.19pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 15th Apr 2010

Afzal Anwar (Liberal Democrat candidate for Pendle) has challenged Gordon Prentice to set out the facts about the second home mortgage claims which he has made while MP for Pendle.

Mr Prentice claims that this London residence is his second home and registers a house in Barnoldswick as his main home.

Afzal Anwar said: "People are questioning just how much time Mr Prentice spends in Pendle to justify it as his first home. My question is simple - stop hiding beneath the spin and the attacks on Lord Ashcroft and come out and tell us where you spend more time and how you justify Barnoldswick as being your main home?"

"How many days did Mr Prentice spend in Pendle last year? We know he visits Pendle about once a fortnight when Parliament is sitting for two or three days at weekends. He is occasionally here in the recesses (but not much in the summer).

"But to call his house in Barnoldswick his main home does need some justification."

Afzal Anwar is also calling on Mr. Prentice to tell people when he started to claim for his London apartment as his second home and what he claims for. "For instance his claim forms for April 2008 and March 2009 show a payment of £900 as "rent" but other months show the same amount as mortgage payments."

"When Mr Prentice first became MP for Pendle he was living in Lewisham with his then wife Bridget Prentice. When did Mr Prentice stop claiming for his Barnoldswick house as his second home, and did he 'flip' the claims to his London apartment?"

Finally Mr Anwar is asking Mr Prentice to explain the circumstances in which he had to repay £2,620.95 mortgage expenses which he had wrongly claimed over three years. Afzal Anwar said "This is not a huge amount compared to some of the scandals we have heard about, but it still needs an explanation from Mr. Prentice and I don't think we have had one."

Afzal Anwar added: "The claims made by Mr Prentice may well be completely above board but I hope he will set out the position to that people in Pendle can understand his position."