GRUBBY

Matt Hancock claims £3,000 in rent from taxpayer for empty London flat while he was on I'm A Celeb

-  NICK SOMMERLAD

MATT Hancock claimed £3,000 in rent from the taxpayer for an empty London flat while he was earning £320,000 in the Australian jungle.

Newly released expenses claims for the former Health Secretary reveal he continued to claim rent on his flat throughout the month of November last year.

His controversial stint "on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here ran from November 2 to 27.

Under Parliamentary rules, Mr Hancock is entitled to claim the rent even while on a leave of absence. But the Mirror's revelation will add to the public anger over his TV gameshow appearance.

During the month of filming, he kept his £84,144 a year MP's salary - or £7,012 a month before tax. He chose to donate £10,000, or 3% of his appearance fee, to charity.