Rayner billed taxpayers for second pair of AirPods

ANGELA Rayner sparked another expenses row yesterday after it emerged she tried to bill taxpayers for a second pair of costly Apple AirPods.

The deputy Labour leader claimed for the cutting-edge £139 wireless headphones on expenses in December – only to repay the money this week when confronted about it.

It comes after she sparked an expenses row for claiming more than £2,000 of the latest Apple technology in 2021, including £249 for a first set of personalised AirPods.

It also included £1, 19 for an iPad Pro as well as a £99 case, £199 for a compatible keyboard and £131 for a digital pencil.

But yesterday The Sun reported how she lodged another ‘earphone for office’ claim worth £139 in December – the exact price of a pair of second-generation Apple AirPods.

Her office refused to deny that the claim, lodged under the ‘Mobile telephone – equipment purchase’ category, was for a second pair of AirPods.

The purchase was approved by expenses watchdog the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. But after her office was approached about the claim, a repayment for the full amount – thought to be voluntary – was made on Tuesday. A spokesman for Ms Rayner said: ‘These costs have been covered privately and IPSA reimbursed accordingly.’

‘Costs have been covered privately’