Comedy night held in MP's empty home
Monday, 6 July 2009 12:00 AM
By Liz Stephens
A comedy night featuring political comedian Mark Thomas was held by the squatters who have taken over the constituency home of Ann and Alan Keen last night.
The front room of the empty house in Brentford, West London was turned into a comedy club and Thomas entertained a 60-strong audience in front of a Christmas tree with a picture of the Keens on top.
Thomas told the crowd: "I think this will go down as the most memorable show of the year - doing a gig in two MPs' squatted home."
The event was a further embarrassment for Mr Keen, MP for Feltham and Heston and Mrs Keen, MP for Brentford and Isleworth, who have been nicknamed Labour's "Mr and Mrs Expenses" after they claimed £40,000 a year for their second home.
Their house was taken over by squatters after it was left vacant for several months while the couple lived in their designated second home in Westminster - only nine miles away.
In a letter to neighbours, the Keens complained they felt "violated" by the squatters and are taking legal action to repossess the £375,000 house.
However, some of their neighbours are less than sympathetic to the Keens - even providing food hampers and supplies to the squatters.
The comedy gig raised about £100 for various causes.
Hounslow council wrote to the Keens two weeks ago, threatening to seize the four-storey house as an 'abandoned dwelling' after it was left empty for months.
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