Shadow housing minister faces salary probe

Shadow housing minister Jack Dromey is facing a formal investigation over allegations he failed to declare a salary of almost £30,000 from the trade union Unite.

Dromey, who was deputy general secretary of Unite up until winning his seat in the May 2010 general election, received the pay between gaining office and October last year.

Parliamentary rules dictate his salary should have been declared within four weeks of receipt – but the Sunday Times reported last month that Dromey’s salary went unreported for 17 months.

It was finally declared in the register of members’ financial interests last month. It stated: “Deputy general secretary of Unite union until 30 October 2010. Between the general election and 30 October 2010, I received £27,867 in salary which included pay in lieu of notice.”