Did it REALLY cost less than £660? Jeremy Corbyn's lavish hotel for three-day Tunisia trip raises fresh doubts about his failure to declare it on the MPs' register

  • Jeremy Corbyn under fresh fire over his controversial trip to Tunisian in 2014 
  • Stayed at five-star hotel for 'peace' conference attended by Hamas activists
  • The MP's travel and accommodation was funded by the Tunisian government
  • Commons commissioner asked to probe whether he should have declared costs

Images of the lavish five-star hotel where Jeremy Corbyn stayed on his controversial Tunisia trip has raised fresh doubts over his failed to declare the costs.

The Labour leader is facing a probe by the parliamentary standards commissioner into whether he should have listed the trip on the Commons register.

Mr Corbyn has been struggling to contain a raging row over attending a ceremony during the 2014 visit where a wreath was laid at the graves of Palestinians linked to the Munich Olympics terrorist attack.

He has insisted he did not need to declare the jaunt, which was paid for by the Tunisian government, as it was below the threshold of £660.

The five-star Le Palace hotel in Gammarth, Tunisia, where the conference in 2014 was held

The five-star Le Palace hotel in Gammarth, Tunisia, where the conference in 2014 was held

Jeremy Corbyn is pictured with members of a delegation of Palestinian officials at the graveyard in Tunis in 2014, with the wreath which was laid in the cemetery to honour Palestinian 'martyrs'.  He has today admitted being at the ceremony after initially insisting he was there for a tribute to different Palestinians

Jeremy Corbyn is seen posing with a wreath during his trip to Tunisia. This canopy runs alongside the graves of Salah Khalaf, Hayel Abdel-Hamid, Fakhri al-Omari and Atef Bseiso, three of whom have been linked to Black September, the group behind the 1972 atrocity at the Munich Olympic Games

Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire for allegedly failing to declare the trip to Parliament

Jeremy Corbyn has come under fire for allegedly failing to declare the trip to Parliament

Located on the Tunisian coast, Le Palace Hotel is where delegates sunned themselves and enjoyed luxury facilities while discussing their views on the Jewish State

Located on the Tunisian coast, Le Palace Hotel is where delegates sunned themselves and enjoyed luxury facilities while discussing their views on the Jewish State

But details of the luxury hotel where Mr Corbyn stayed during the three-day trip suggest the level might have been breached. 

According to the website for Le Palace - which overlooks the Mediterranean and boasts a pool, bars and restaurants - suites are charged at up to £1,000 a night. 

The cheapest rooms are currently around £170 a night, and he is thought to have checked in for two nights.

Flights and transport costs are also believed to have been picked up by the Tunisian government.

The Commons rules in force at the time for overseas visit state: 'With certain specified exceptions, overseas visits made by the Member or the Member's spouse or partner relating to or in any way arising out of membership of the House where the cost of the visit exceeds one per cent of the current parliamentary salary and was not wholly borne by the Member or by United Kingdom public funds.'

Mr Corbyn, who has been visiting Northamptonshire today, insisted:'It was a perfectly public trip and I made that clear at the time. It was under the threshold that was required to declare.'

He added: 'I didn't declare it because it was under the required level to be declared but I made the trip absolutely public.

'I made public the fact I was proud to go there in order to promote a Palestinian peace process and indeed it was an all party parliamentary delegation that attended, there were liberal democrat and conservative Parliamentarians there as well and many people from other parts of Europe.'

One of the rooms at the luxury five-star hotel where Mr Corbyn stayed in Tunisia in 2014

One of the rooms at the luxury five-star hotel where Mr Corbyn stayed in Tunisia in 2014

The swimming pool at Le Palace hotel in Tunisia, located just a stone's throw from the sea

The swimming pool at Le Palace hotel in Tunisia, located just a stone's throw from the sea

But Tory deputy chairman James Cleverly said: 'It seems inconceivable that a multi-day trip like this could come in below the declaration threshold.

'All MPs have a duty to disclose hospitality like this. If Mr Corbyn made an error, I think he should have the courage to say so.' 

Tory MP Andrew Bridgen has written to parliamentary commissioner Kathryn Stone urging an investigation.

Tory peer Lord Sheikh, who also attended the 'peace' conference at the hotel but did not go to the commemoration, did include the trip in his register entry. 

If Mr Corbyn is found to have broken rules by failing to declare the trip he could be ordered to make an humiliating apology to parliament. 

Le Palace hotel is one of the most expensive hotels in Tunisia and features luxury furnishings

Le Palace hotel is one of the most expensive hotels in Tunisia and features luxury furnishings

The bar at Le Palace hotel where delegates at the conference sipped soft drinks in the breaks

The bar at Le Palace hotel where delegates at the conference sipped soft drinks in the breaks

 

 

 

 

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