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| Labour MP suspended over expenses | Labour MP suspended over expenses |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MP David Chaytor has been suspended by the Parliamentary Labour Party amid allegations he claimed money for a mortgage he had already paid off. | MP David Chaytor has been suspended by the Parliamentary Labour Party amid allegations he claimed money for a mortgage he had already paid off. |
| He is the second Labour MP to be suspended and the latest from both main parties to face investigation amid continuing controversy over expenses. | He is the second Labour MP to be suspended and the latest from both main parties to face investigation amid continuing controversy over expenses. |
| The Daily Telegraph says the Bury North MP took nearly £13,000 for the flat in London after it was paid off in 2004. | The Daily Telegraph says the Bury North MP took nearly £13,000 for the flat in London after it was paid off in 2004. |
| Saturday's Telegraph makes allegations against several Labour and Tory MPs. | Saturday's Telegraph makes allegations against several Labour and Tory MPs. |
| Mr Chaytor is referring himself to the MPs standards watchdog over the matter. | Mr Chaytor is referring himself to the MPs standards watchdog over the matter. |
| He was quoted by the Telegraph as saying he had made an "unforgivable error in my accounting procedures for which I apologise unreservedly". | He was quoted by the Telegraph as saying he had made an "unforgivable error in my accounting procedures for which I apologise unreservedly". |
| EXPENSES ROW CASUALTIES Elliot Morley - suspended from parliamentary Labour Party after admitting claiming £16,000 for a mortgage he had already paid offShahid Malik - resigned as justice minister pending inquiry into his expensesAndrew MacKay - quit as parliamentary aide to David Cameron over "unacceptable" expenses claim | EXPENSES ROW CASUALTIES Elliot Morley - suspended from parliamentary Labour Party after admitting claiming £16,000 for a mortgage he had already paid offShahid Malik - resigned as justice minister pending inquiry into his expensesAndrew MacKay - quit as parliamentary aide to David Cameron over "unacceptable" expenses claim |
| He reportedly told the paper he would immediately arrange repayment to the House of Commons fees office. | He reportedly told the paper he would immediately arrange repayment to the House of Commons fees office. |
| Mr Chaytor is the latest of several MPs to face investigation or disciplinary over their expenses, including former farming minister Elliot Morley, who has also been suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party. | Mr Chaytor is the latest of several MPs to face investigation or disciplinary over their expenses, including former farming minister Elliot Morley, who has also been suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party. |
| String of allegations | String of allegations |
| The Telegraph says Mr Chaytor "flipped" the designation of his second home six times, including once to a house registered in his son's name. | The Telegraph says Mr Chaytor "flipped" the designation of his second home six times, including once to a house registered in his son's name. |
| Other allegations from Saturday's Telegraph include: | Other allegations from Saturday's Telegraph include: |
| • Labour MP, Chris Bryant is accused by the paper of flipping his second home twice in two years. Mr Bryant describes the allegations as unfounded and inaccurate. | • Labour MP, Chris Bryant is accused by the paper of flipping his second home twice in two years. Mr Bryant describes the allegations as unfounded and inaccurate. |
| • Former long-serving Labour MP Tam Dalyell is said to have attempted to claim £18,000 for bookcases, two months before retiring from Parliament in 2005. | • Former long-serving Labour MP Tam Dalyell is said to have attempted to claim £18,000 for bookcases, two months before retiring from Parliament in 2005. |
| He said the Commons fees office eventually paid about £7,800, adding that he was he was "entirely relaxed" about the allegations. | He said the Commons fees office eventually paid about £7,800, adding that he was he was "entirely relaxed" about the allegations. |
| • Veteran Labour MP Sir Gerald Kaufman is said to have claimed £1,851 for a rug from a New York antique centre and tried to claim more than £8,800 for a television. | |
| The paper says he has offered to repay the money for the rug and that he described the television claim as "a bit daft". Sir Gerald has since declined to comment on the matters to reporters. | The paper says he has offered to repay the money for the rug and that he described the television claim as "a bit daft". Sir Gerald has since declined to comment on the matters to reporters. |
| • Conservative MP for Totnes in Devon, Anthony Steen, is said to have claimed £87,000 over four years for his country home, including paying a forestry expert to inspect his trees. | • Conservative MP for Totnes in Devon, Anthony Steen, is said to have claimed £87,000 over four years for his country home, including paying a forestry expert to inspect his trees. |
| He told the BBC he was being "pilloried" for the transparency of his claims and that he had never claimed for mortgage interest on the property. He described the expenses system as "appalling" and "unworkable". | He told the BBC he was being "pilloried" for the transparency of his claims and that he had never claimed for mortgage interest on the property. He described the expenses system as "appalling" and "unworkable". |
| What we're looking for is remorse, contrition, by-elections, de-selections, maybe even prosecutions Former MP Martin Bell | What we're looking for is remorse, contrition, by-elections, de-selections, maybe even prosecutions Former MP Martin Bell |
| • Liberal Democrat culture spokesman and Teignbridge MP Richard Younger-Ross is revealed to have claimed more than £4,000 for mirrors, a hi-fi, and a £1,475 chest of drawers for his rented London flat. He told the paper he had repaid the money. | • Liberal Democrat culture spokesman and Teignbridge MP Richard Younger-Ross is revealed to have claimed more than £4,000 for mirrors, a hi-fi, and a £1,475 chest of drawers for his rented London flat. He told the paper he had repaid the money. |
| • Tory MP Nadine Dorries denies Daily Telegraph allegations that she spent only free weekends and holidays in the property she calls her main home. | • Tory MP Nadine Dorries denies Daily Telegraph allegations that she spent only free weekends and holidays in the property she calls her main home. |
| MP 'flabbergasted' | MP 'flabbergasted' |
| Mr Chaytor's wife Sheena said her husband "was very shocked when he heard" of the claims around his expenses, adding that he was "flabbergasted, he could not believe it". | Mr Chaytor's wife Sheena said her husband "was very shocked when he heard" of the claims around his expenses, adding that he was "flabbergasted, he could not believe it". |
| She said: "He has made a really stupid mistake. It was a mistake but I do not suppose anybody will believe that. I hope so though." | She said: "He has made a really stupid mistake. It was a mistake but I do not suppose anybody will believe that. I hope so though." |
| According to the Guardian, under proposals expected to be approved by Labour's national executive next week, any MPs found making improper expenses claims will be deselected and barred from standing at the next general election. | According to the Guardian, under proposals expected to be approved by Labour's national executive next week, any MPs found making improper expenses claims will be deselected and barred from standing at the next general election. |
| Former independent MP Martin Bell, who was elected on an anti-sleaze platform in 1997, says corruption now "seems to be endemic" in the Commons. | Former independent MP Martin Bell, who was elected on an anti-sleaze platform in 1997, says corruption now "seems to be endemic" in the Commons. |
| He told BBC One's The Politics Show, to be broadcast on Sunday at 1200 BST: "What we're looking for is remorse, contrition, by-elections, de-selections, maybe even prosecutions." | He told BBC One's The Politics Show, to be broadcast on Sunday at 1200 BST: "What we're looking for is remorse, contrition, by-elections, de-selections, maybe even prosecutions." |
| It was "not enough" for MPs with controversial expense claims to say what they did within the rules or to pay the money back. | It was "not enough" for MPs with controversial expense claims to say what they did within the rules or to pay the money back. |
| Meanwhile the Metropolitan Police Service and Crown Prosecution Service are due to meet next week to discuss whether a criminal investigation should be launched into some of the Telegraph's allegations about MPs. | Meanwhile the Metropolitan Police Service and Crown Prosecution Service are due to meet next week to discuss whether a criminal investigation should be launched into some of the Telegraph's allegations about MPs. |
| It is thought this was partly prompted by a number of complaints from members of the public. | It is thought this was partly prompted by a number of complaints from members of the public. |