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| MP Denis MacShane to be charged with false accounting | MP Denis MacShane to be charged with false accounting |
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| Denis MacShane, the former Labour MP for Rotherham, is to be charged with false accounting over parliamentary expenses claims, prosecutors have said. | Denis MacShane, the former Labour MP for Rotherham, is to be charged with false accounting over parliamentary expenses claims, prosecutors have said. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service said on Thursday it had decided there was sufficient evidence to proceed against the ex-minister for allegedly faking receipts. Malcolm McHaffie, deputy head of the special crime division at the CPS, said the charge related to allegedly fraudulent claims totalling £12,900. | The Crown Prosecution Service said on Thursday it had decided there was sufficient evidence to proceed against the ex-minister for allegedly faking receipts. Malcolm McHaffie, deputy head of the special crime division at the CPS, said the charge related to allegedly fraudulent claims totalling £12,900. |
| "I have decided there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to bring a criminal charge," he said. "The charge is of false accounting, contrary to the Theft Act 1968. It is alleged that Denis MacShane claimed expenses for research and translation services carried out by a company that did not carry out that work." | "I have decided there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to bring a criminal charge," he said. "The charge is of false accounting, contrary to the Theft Act 1968. It is alleged that Denis MacShane claimed expenses for research and translation services carried out by a company that did not carry out that work." |
| Police began examining MacShane's expenses nearly three years ago after allegations about abuses surfaced, before dropping the case. However, the investigation was reopened in the wake of a report from the Commons standards and privileges committee last November, which found that he had faked receipts to receive thousands of pounds of public money. | Police began examining MacShane's expenses nearly three years ago after allegations about abuses surfaced, before dropping the case. However, the investigation was reopened in the wake of a report from the Commons standards and privileges committee last November, which found that he had faked receipts to receive thousands of pounds of public money. |
| The report included letters from the former Labour minister to the standards commissioner detailing his actions, which had not previously been seen by police. | The report included letters from the former Labour minister to the standards commissioner detailing his actions, which had not previously been seen by police. |
| MacShane stood down as MP for Rotherham after the committee recommended he be suspended from the Commons for 12 months. | MacShane stood down as MP for Rotherham after the committee recommended he be suspended from the Commons for 12 months. |
| He served as an MP from 1994 until his resignation last year. During this time he served in the Labour government, including a period as minister for Europe from 2002 to 2005. | He served as an MP from 1994 until his resignation last year. During this time he served in the Labour government, including a period as minister for Europe from 2002 to 2005. |
| MacShane, who will appear at City of Westminster magistrates court on 30 July, said in a statement: "I am disappointed at the CPS decision but as the matter is now in the hands of the court I will be making no further statement." | MacShane, who will appear at City of Westminster magistrates court on 30 July, said in a statement: "I am disappointed at the CPS decision but as the matter is now in the hands of the court I will be making no further statement." |
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