Chancellor Alistair Darling is facing renewed pressure over his expenses after it was reported that he claimed second home allowances on two properties at the same time.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown moved to defend Mr Darling, insisting that he believed there was no substance to allegations that he claimed parliamentary expenses on two homes at once.
He said that he had been assured by Mr Darling that there was no foundation to the claim.
"Alistair Darling is a very good Chancellor and he has been a very good colleague and friend. If he had done anything wrong he would be the first to admit it," the Prime Minister told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme.
The Daily Telegraph reported that in July 2007, 10 days after becoming Chancellor, Mr Darling submitted a £1,004 claim for service charges on his south London flat up to December of that year. The paper said that during that period he had moved into Downing Street and begun renting out the flat.
Mr Darling had earlier been urged to quit by Liberal Democrats who said he had been "caught with his fingers in the till".
Leaked records showed that in July 2007, 10 days after becoming Chancellor, he submitted a £1,004 claim for the service charge on his south London flat, the Daily Telegraph reported. It said the charge covered the period up to the end of that year by which time he was also claiming second home allowances on his grace-and-favour Downing Street apartment.
Cabinet colleagues had earlier defended Mr Darling after Lib Dem economics spokesman Vince Cable, backed by party leader Nick Clegg, launched a stinging call for him to be thrown out of 11 Downing Street over expenses claims for accountant's fees and switching his second home.
Mr Cable used his column in the Mail on Sunday to demand the Chancellor's scalp, writing: "Here is the company finance director caught with his fingers in the till".
Responding to their attacks, Mr Darling's office insisted he had done nothing wrong and the pair were accused by Business Secretary Lord Mandelson of descending to "cheap jibes".
