TORY MP John Baron is to donate profits from the sale of his taxpayer-funded second home to charity.

Mr Baron, MP for Basildon and Billericay, has sold the property in Bramble Tye, Noak Bridge, for about £250,000. He paid £153,500 for it in September 2000.

He said: “I’ve always maintained most people enter politics because they believe in public service – they’re not in it for the money. Therefore it only seems right that the taxpayer-funded element of the capital gain should be donated to charity.”

He said he would donate up to £60,000 of the proceeds to various good causes, after deducting costs.

Mr Baron’s costs include capital gains tax, estate agency fees, stamp duty, and the increase in value of the home between 2000 and 2001, when he paid the mortgage himself before becoming an MP. The 51-year-old MP will continue live in his family home, in London, and is now renting a constituency office at Bentalls Business Park, Basildon.

Under the old Parliamentary expenses regime, Mr Baron could claim back the cost of mortgage payments on a constituency home. Under new rules, he can no longer claim this benefit because his constituency is within 20 miles of London.

Under the Legg Review into MPs’ expenses, Mr Baron was made to pay back £8,800 which he claimed to cover interest on a remortgage of the Noak Bridge property.