MP to give £60,000 second home profit to charity
A Conservative MP is to donate £60,000 made from the sale of his second home to charity.
John Baron recently sold the three-bedroom house in Billericay, Essex, for around £250,000, having bought it for £153,500 in 2000.
He said he would give the profit, after costs and capital gains tax were deducted, to a "range" of good causes.
The Basildon and Billericay MP, a former soldier, told the BBC he felt it was the "right thing to do".
Mr Baron has claimed expenses for mortgage interest payments on the property, which doubled up as his constituency office, since he was elected to Parliament in 2001.
He will now stay at hotels when carrying out duties in the area and will rent an office.
Mr Baron, who served in the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers before becoming a fund manager, said: "I've always maintained that the vast majority of people going into politics do so because they believe in public service, not to make money.
"It's not right that the taxpayer-funded part of my capital gains should be kept by me.
"I didn't have to do this, but I feel it's the right thing to do."
Mr Baron said the money was in a "ring-fenced" bank account and would go to several charities, including those which help former armed forces personnel.