Brown facing funding query

WESTMINSTER'S sleaze watchdog has written to Gordon Brown asking for information about rental money he received for an office paid for from public funds. John Lyon, the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner, wrote to the PM following a complaint from Greg Hands, the Tory MP, that he failed to declare more than £1,600 in rent from his local Labour Party.

Mr Hands said he did not allege any financial wrongdoing on Mr Brown's part, but believed that parliamentary rules had been breached.