Second MP claimed for non-existent mortgage
The politicians' expenses scandal in Britain was poised to claim another victim today after a second Labour MP admitted claiming thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ cash for a non-existent mortgage.
Bury North MP David Chaytor will arrive back from a publicly-funded Commons committee trip to the US today to face almost certain suspension from the Parliamentary Labour Party.
He has said he will repay £13,000 (€14,500) paid out in interest on a loan which had already been repaid, blaming “an unforgivable error in my accounting procedures for which I apologise unreservedly”.
Downing Street said Chief Whip Nick Brown, who earlier this week suspended former minister Elliot Morley over a similar claim, would hold urgent discussions on the “very serious” matter before taking action.
The latest fallout from the Daily Telegraph’s publication of leaked expenses claims which have rocked Westminster came after Shahid Malik became the first minister to step down over allegations.
Mr Malik, Labour MP for Dewsbury, left his post pending a watchdog investigation into whether he enjoyed a cut-price flat rent deal which would breach the ministerial code of conduct.
A panel of senior Scotland Yard officers and prosecutors will meet next week to decide what action to take in response to a surge of complaints that MPs misused parliamentary expenses.
As the wave of controversial taxpayer-funded payments to MPs continued, Liberal Democrat culture spokesman Richard Younger-Ross said he would repay £4,000 (€4,500) claimed for furnishings such as a chest of drawers, a solid cherrywood mirror, a bookcase and a stereo system.
Tory MP Nadine Dorries rejected a string of allegations about her expenses such as claiming for a New Year’s Eve hotel room or claiming second home allowance while only having one home.
But she defended her attempts to get taxpayers to foot the bill for a lost deposit on a rented flat and said she would continue to fight for it to be repaid.
Deputy Commons Leader Chris Bryant hit out at “unfounded and inaccurate” suggestions he had benefited from second home payments by “flipping” his main home.
The openly-gay MP said he moved to a more secure property after “a series of attacks on my home” and had asked the Fees Office what work on the new place he could claim back.
Among other allegations made by the newspaper in the latest slew of expenses revelations were that Labour former minister Gerald Kaufman, who represents Manchester Gorton, was paid £15,329 (€17,187) of a £28,834 (€32,329) bill for improvements to a London flat after telling Commons authorities he was “living in a slum”.
Tory Anthony Steen, the MP for Totnes, was reported to have claimed tens of thousands of pounds for looking after a “country mansion” including work on 500 trees.
Cotswolds MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, the shadow minister for international development, claimed for a mortgage on a £2.75m (€3.08m) house, the newspaper reported.
And Labour politician Tam Dalyell submitted a claim for £18,000 (€20,000) for bookcases two months before retiring as an MP in 2005.
