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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| 'I'm no crook,' says suspended MP | 'I'm no crook,' says suspended MP |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Tory MP Derek Conway has defended parliamentary payments to his son, for which he was censured and suspended, saying: "I am not a crook." | Tory MP Derek Conway has defended parliamentary payments to his son, for which he was censured and suspended, saying: "I am not a crook." |
| A Commons standards committee said there was no record of Freddie, a student, doing work at Westminster in return for £40,000 of taxpayers' money. | A Commons standards committee said there was no record of Freddie, a student, doing work at Westminster in return for £40,000 of taxpayers' money. |
| Alistair Graham, the former chairman of the committee, criticised the MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup's defence. | |
| But he said it showed the system is "pretty rotten". | |
| Sir Alistair told BBC News: ''I think his general argument is, I've just been a fall guy for a system in which many other MP's have done similar sorts of things to myself. | |
| "I never think that's a very good defence of having done something wrong but it really does seem to demonstrate that the system is pretty rotten." | |
| Whip withdrawing | |
| Mr Conway has been suspended from the Commons for 10 days and ordered to return £13,161 of the money he paid his son. | |
| He announced he will stand down as an MP at the next General Election, after Tory leader David Cameron withdrew the Conservative whip following the report. | |
| But in an interview with the Mail on Sunday, Mr Conway said: "I still believe I have done nothing wrong." | |
| He said his son travelled from Newcastle to help him with his MP work. | |
| He told the paper: "I know many MPs with family members who have different names registered, so they are not so obviously spotted. Some spouses work under maiden names." | He told the paper: "I know many MPs with family members who have different names registered, so they are not so obviously spotted. Some spouses work under maiden names." |
| Mr Conway insisted both Freddie, 22, and elder son, Henry 25, whom he employed earlier, did the work they were paid for. | |
| "A lot of students do part-time work. He was working for his father rather than working in McDonald's," he said. | "A lot of students do part-time work. He was working for his father rather than working in McDonald's," he said. |
| "He used to come home frequently. He would go up and down like a fiddler's elbow while he was away. | "He used to come home frequently. He would go up and down like a fiddler's elbow while he was away. |
| Lots of MPs have family who work from home Derek Conway | Lots of MPs have family who work from home Derek Conway |
| "There are MPs who commute greater distances than that on a weekly basis and some are three times Freddie's age. I don't think it was unusual." | |
| Mr Conway may face a second inquiry into the job he gave Henry, while Scotland Yard are considering a demand for a police probe into allegations of fraud. | Mr Conway may face a second inquiry into the job he gave Henry, while Scotland Yard are considering a demand for a police probe into allegations of fraud. |
| 'Homophobic' | 'Homophobic' |
| The standards committee report, which said Freddie was "all but invisible" at Westminster, concluded the arrangement was "at the least an improper use of parliamentary allowances" and "at worst, a serious diversion of public funds". | |
| Mr Conway said Freddie and Henry worked from the family flat in nearby Victoria, adding: "Lots of MPs have family who work from home." | Mr Conway said Freddie and Henry worked from the family flat in nearby Victoria, adding: "Lots of MPs have family who work from home." |
| Outlining the work Henry did, he said: "He'd fillet post, scrutinise e-mails and stuff envelopes. I am one of many MPs who employ family members. It doesn't mean there's not a job to be done or that they weren't doing it." | Outlining the work Henry did, he said: "He'd fillet post, scrutinise e-mails and stuff envelopes. I am one of many MPs who employ family members. It doesn't mean there's not a job to be done or that they weren't doing it." |
| Mr Conway also denounced as "homophobic" media reports which have referred to Henry's sexuality and rejected allegations he employed another researcher, Michael Pratte, because he was a friend of his sons. | Mr Conway also denounced as "homophobic" media reports which have referred to Henry's sexuality and rejected allegations he employed another researcher, Michael Pratte, because he was a friend of his sons. |
| Mr Pratte met Freddie and Henry only after joining his office, he said. | Mr Pratte met Freddie and Henry only after joining his office, he said. |
| Hain's mother | |
| The MP also questioned the motives of some of his parliamentary critics, suggesting Labour was exploiting the issue to distract the public from the donations row. | The MP also questioned the motives of some of his parliamentary critics, suggesting Labour was exploiting the issue to distract the public from the donations row. |
| "This was a golden opportunity - clearly supported by some Tories, some of whom may well have had their own agenda," he said. | "This was a golden opportunity - clearly supported by some Tories, some of whom may well have had their own agenda," he said. |
| The row has prompted the leaders of all three main parties to tell MPs to make it clear if they employ relatives. | The row has prompted the leaders of all three main parties to tell MPs to make it clear if they employ relatives. |
| Former cabinet minister Peter Hain has since confirmed that his mother works for him as a part-time secretary. | Former cabinet minister Peter Hain has since confirmed that his mother works for him as a part-time secretary. |
| Adelaine Hain, 80, has worked for her son at the Commons since 1991 and was paid £5,400 last year. | Adelaine Hain, 80, has worked for her son at the Commons since 1991 and was paid £5,400 last year. |
| Mr Hain, who quit as pensions secretary last month over a probe into undeclared donations, said: "I've never hidden anything. She works really hard." | Mr Hain, who quit as pensions secretary last month over a probe into undeclared donations, said: "I've never hidden anything. She works really hard." |