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| Mortgage claim MP will stand down | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Labour MP Ben Chapman has said he will stand down at the next general election following reports he over-claimed mortgage interest on his second home. | |
| Mr Chapman, MP for Wirral South, maintained he had done nothing wrong in a statement announcing his decision. | Mr Chapman, MP for Wirral South, maintained he had done nothing wrong in a statement announcing his decision. |
| But he said the story in the Daily Telegraph had been hurtful to his family, friends and supporters. | But he said the story in the Daily Telegraph had been hurtful to his family, friends and supporters. |
| He is the first Labour MP to say he will stand down over the row. Three Tory MPs have said they will do so. | |
| Offered apologies | |
| The Telegraph reported that the MP sought and was given permission to reclaim the interest payments on the full value of his mortgage, despite paying off £295,000 of the loan in 2002. | |
| Mr Chapman reportedly continued to receive £15,000 over 10 months for the interest part of the mortgage which he no longer paid. | |
| He insisted the House of Commons fees office had offered apologies that advice they gave him was incorrect. | |
| The Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) is looking into claims Mr Chapman was given permission to claim the allowances for the mortgage interest. | |
| Tory MPs Anthony Steen, Douglas Hogg and Sir Peter Viggers have already said they will not stand at the next election after their own expenses claims came under the spotlight. |