Helston MP Andrew George has hit back after it was revealed that he claimed for mortgage interest on a river London flat that his daughter used, saying that he wants to be with his family.

The Daily Telegraph reported today that Mr George, a Liberal Democrat, was claiming for a flat in Rotherhithe that his student daughter Morvah lived in. He also claimed for two beds in the flat and complained when the parliamentary fee office rejected his claim for a second bed.

But Mr George, who took part in the Hal-An-Tow pageant on Helston Flora Day, said that the Telegraph overlooked that he and his family had paid for some of the flat.

He said: “We purchased nearly one third of the flat ourselves and bought half of the furniture and fittings without making a claim from taxpayers’ money.”

He added that his daughter was not living in the flat and the second bed was for when she came to visit.

“My daughter was living in a student hall of residence elsewhere in London throughout the period of the claim. Before that she lived elsewhere in London – not in my flat.

“As I own one third of the flat anyway I believe that it is reasonable for me to allow any member of my family to visit or stay in the spare room at any time.”

Mr George, who has said in the past that he was against MPs exploiting the allowance regime, added that the Telegraph only based their story on house contents insurance receipts and they ignored that Morvah was in halls of residence.

He said: “That information was given to them but they chose to present a story implying that I only bought the flat for my daughter.

“In recent months she has come to live with me in the flat and I hope that she will continue to for as long as possible – certainly for a few more weeks until she returns to Cornwall.”

He said that the newspaper had sent a “snooper” to get a picture of Morvah leaving the flat but did not succeed.

“She doesn’t stay at my flat all the time.

“Frankly – especially as my wife and I own one third of the property – there is nothing wrong with any member of my family coming to share the flat with me and to stay in the spare room for as long as they wish.

“Many MPs confide in me that they have members of their family staying with them. From now on my family will come and stay with me at the flat more not less. We should encourage families to be together.”

Falmouth and Camborne Lib Dem MP, Julia Goldsworthy has also appeared in the Telegraph’s expose charging taxpayers £4,594 to furnish her new flat including £1,200 for a rocking chair.