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Conservative MEP to be expelled Conservative MEP to be expelled
(20 minutes later)
A Conservative MEP is being expelled from the party after the EU Parliament told him to repay £500,000 in expenses paid to his family for office work.A Conservative MEP is being expelled from the party after the EU Parliament told him to repay £500,000 in expenses paid to his family for office work.
Den Dover, a former chief whip who has denied any wrongdoing, was stripped of the party whip after an EU probe found him guilty of a conflict of interest.Den Dover, a former chief whip who has denied any wrongdoing, was stripped of the party whip after an EU probe found him guilty of a conflict of interest.
The decision was taken after consultation with leader David Cameron.The decision was taken after consultation with leader David Cameron.
The Lib Dems welcomed the move but one Labour MP said the Tories must "forfeit" any cash Mr Dover gave them.The Lib Dems welcomed the move but one Labour MP said the Tories must "forfeit" any cash Mr Dover gave them.
'Significant sum'
Mr Dover, who represents the North West in the European Parliament and is a former MP for Chorley, has said he will repay all the money and has denied breaking any parliamentary rules.
He quit his position as chief whip this summer amid allegations about his conduct.
He was accused of paying about £750,000 in staff and office allowances to a family owned firm HP Holdings, thus directly benefiting his wife and daughter.
It emerged on Wednesday that an investigation by the secretary general of the European Parliament concluded that Mr Dover's behaviour had constituted a conflict of interest.
The case has been referred to the European Parliament's fraud unit.
Philip Bushill-Matthews, the leader of the Conservative Party's MEPs, said Mr Dover had informed him that he would be required to repay the Parliament a "significant six-figure sum".
"On the basis of this information and after consulting David Cameron, I have instructed the MEP's chief whip to withdraw the whip from Mr Dover with immediate effect.
"This, in turn, means that he will not be a Conservative candidate at the European elections in 2009."
The conduct of Tory MEPs has been under scrutiny recently after a number of allegations about their use of parliamentary expenses.
Previous leader of the Tories in Brussels, Giles Chichester, quit the role earlier this year after admitting he broke expenses rules.
Mr Chichester paid thousands of pounds in staff allowances to a firm of which he is a paid director.