A question for the assembled

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

I'm working on an AU fic, part of which is set in the here and now. I have a question for someone familiar with modern London.



One of the current characters is an MP with a wife and a couple of teen-ish kids. The MP is a fairly liberal sort. The family is respectably middle-class and not particularly interested in flash or a displaying lot of tastelessly overdone wealth.

Where in London would someone like this live and be able to have either a reasonably-sized flat with a guest room or two, or a house?

Comments

[katead.livejournal.com]

Hi, (new here) middle class is a wide spectrum so depends how far up you mean but I suggest a north London district/ suburb, lots of middle to upper middle class homes about and quite a few MPs about. Hampstead is quite popular with MPs I believe but expensive so as I said.. depends where on the spectrum of middle class as I say.

Hope that helps :)

[ancilla100.livejournal.com]

I agree it'd be in a suburb. Maybe Harrow, or you could go south of the river with Putney or Dulwich?

[lianne108.livejournal.com]

They would probably only have their main home in London if their constituency was in London. Many MPs have two homes - one in their constituency and another near parliament. So for example they might have their main home in say, Sheffield, and a flat near Westminster. They get an allowance to help them pay for their second home.

There's been a lot of criticism lately of this system as some MPs were accused of abusing this system to get a second home despite living in or near London.

But to answer your question...There are many places where you could get a flat like that. I know that one of the MPs involved in this scandal had a rented flat in Lambeth which is just across the river from Westminster so quite central.