Conservative leader David Cameron has launched a new crackdown on his MEPs' expenses, saying he wants to "deep clean" the process.
Conservative Euro MPs have attacked party leader David Cameron's attempt to reform their expenses as "half-baked".
All Tory MEPs will have to fill out a "right to know form" with details of expenses they have claimed.
A memo seen by the BBC argues that the change is a "direct breach of the rules of the European Parliament" and likely to bring a public relations "defeat".
It follows the resignation of Giles Chichester, the party's leader in Brussels, after he admitted breaking European Parliament rules on expenses.
Mr Cameron said all MEPs would have to fill out a "right to know" expenses form, and promised a "deep clean".
Labour said the Tories had finally caught up with its expenses regime.
It follows Giles Chichester, the party's leader in Brussels, quitting after he admitted breaking rules.
But Mr Cameron said his proposed code for the Conservatives would be stricter than that which applied to other parties' MEPs.
He said it was "unacceptable" for MEPs to be able to make claims without anyone knowing what they are for.
'Not a pose'
And he denied it was a cosmetic exercise designed to make the Tories appear tough on sleaze.
"It's not a pose," he told reporters, adding: "I'm genuinely trying to sort this out".
I think everybody knows it is time for a deep clean David CameronConservative leader
Under the plans, which come into effect in September, Tory MEPs will have to publish the names of any relatives they employ, their approximate salary and details of any other staff members paid from public funds.
And twice a year, Tory MEPs will be required to publish a breakdown of their expenditure under European Parliament allowances.
Anyone wanting to stand as a Tory MEP will have to sign up to the rules.
Mr Cameron said: "I think everybody knows it is time for a deep clean.
"I believe these changes will help to ensure that the delegation of British Conservative MEPs are committed and, importantly, are seen to be committed to high standards of propriety in public life."
'Robust' negotiations
He added: "I don't pretend that any party is whiter than white or purer than pure, but my job with our MEPs is to sort our own stuff out and that is what we're doing."
Mr Cameron said he had agreed the new rules with the acting leader of the Tory group in Brussels, Philip Bushell-Matthews, who would be signing up to the code along with the "vast majority" of the party's MEPs.
We throw out our bad apples - Mr Cameron lets them sign one form and be re-elected Nigel FarageUKIP leader
But he acknowledged that negotiations with his new financial trouble-shooter, Hugh Thomas, had been "robust" at times and some MEPs who plan to step down at next June's elections may choose not to sign up.
"Any Conservative candidate wishing to stand in the European Parliament elections in 2009 will need to sign up to these requirements before they can be nominated," he said.
Current European Parliament investigations into Giles Chichester and chief whip Den Dover should be allowed to take their course, he said, although he indicated he was ready to take action if wrongdoing was uncovered.
Bonuses paid to MEPs' staff will be limited to 15% of their annual salary and MEPs will have to confirm that they have repaid any surpluses from their upfront allowances to the European Parliament.
'Right to know'
In April, the Tories announced that their MEPs would have to declare who they employ, whether they are related to them and how much they are paid, within £10,000.
They were also told they would have to publish an annual statement of expenses and travel allowances which will have to be checked by an independent accountant.
Mr Chichester stepped down after paying thousands of pounds in staff allowances to a firm of which he is a paid director.
The MEP for South West England and Gibraltar said he had not realised the European Parliament's rules had changed and vowed to clear his name.
Under the new rules, Conservative MEPs will no longer be allowed to use so-called service companies to handle the employment of staff members.
'Kicking and screaming'
From the end of this financial year, they will be required to provide an independent accountant with an annual statement of expenses, including a summary of amounts claimed and how they were spent.
But Mr Cameron said there would be no requirement to provide receipts for every piece of expenditure, as at Westminster.
Commenting on Mr Cameron's proposals, the leader of the Labour's MEPs, Gary Titley, said: "Finally, after eight years, the Tory Party has caught up with the Labour MEPs' regime for dealing with expenses.
"The difference between them is that all 19 of Labour MEPs have signed up to this, but the evidence is that many Conservative MEPs have to be dragged kicking and screaming in to doing the right thing."
Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker told the BBC: "The reality is that Tory MEPs are a by-word for inappropriate claiming of expenses. The words 'Tory and sleaze' go together as easily as cheese and sandwich.
"Mr Cameron has got to go a lot further, not just in Europe but also in this country in order to clear up the situation."
UKIP Leader Nigel Farage said Mr Cameron's proposals were "more a whitewash than a 'deep clean'".
"We throw out our bad apples," he said, adding: "Mr Cameron lets them sign one form and be re-elected."
