JOHN PRESCOTT, who has presided over a huge increase in council tax bills, is being challenged to declare whether he is avoiding paying any council tax himself.
Last week the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) admitted that he was not paying council tax on his grace-and-favour apartment in Whitehall. The council tax on his official country residence, Dorneywood in Buckinghamshire, is paid by a charitable trust.
The Sunday Times has also established that Prescott is entitled to claim back the council tax on his home in Hull on parliamentary expenses. It means he is under no obligation to pay any council tax bills on his three homes out of his own pocket.
Last week senior officials at his department were given 48 hours to explain whether or not he was claiming back the money on his Hull property. They would only say that he 'complies with the rules'. This does not answer the question because Prescott would not break any rules if he did reclaim the money.
