Leaders haunted by ghost of expenses past
Hundreds of MPs expecting letters asking them to pay back expenses deemed inappropriate or excessive
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Monday, 12, Oct 2009 04:54
By Matthew Champion.
Gordon Brown and Nick Clegg are to accept official requests to repay expenses claims, while David Cameron is being asked to supply more information about his taxpayer subsidised mortgage on an eventful return to parliament.
The prime minister is due to pay back £12,415 in expenses, mostly relating to the cleaning of his London flat.
As the long summer recess finally ends, hundreds of MPs have been receiving letters asking them to pay back expenses deemed inappropriate or excessive.
Sir Thomas Legg, leading the official investigation into the furore over MP expenses, has written to MPs and sent accompanying emails breaking down how much they should pay back.
MPs are entitled to dispute the figures, but some, including the prime minister, have already vowed to pay back whatever is requested.
Speaking to GMTV this morning, Mr Brown said: "Sir Thomas Legg will make recommendations, people have a chance to look at what he says, then my advice to people is, if after the process has gone through in the next few weeks, he says you have got to repay, let's get it done, let's get it sorted out and let's get it back to a system that people can make sure they have confidence in."
The prime minister, who faced criticism for cleaning expenses at his Westminster flat, said it would be the "right thing to do".
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg meanwhile has agreed to pay back £910 out of almost £3,000 in gardening expenses.
"I note that you recommend that I make a repayment of £910 for gardening costs," Mr Clegg said in his reply today.
"On your advice, I have made this repayment to the Department of Finance and Administration today."
And Tory leader David Cameron has reportedly been asked to supply more information over his mortgage arrangements.
The Commons standards and privileges committee has also asked former home secretary Jacqui Smith to apologise for designating her sister's property as her main home, thus allowing her to claim expenses on her family home.
The Commons last sat on July 21st, with MPs back in parliament today for the first time in 83 days. All eyes are on prime minister's questions on Wednesday, the battle lines of which have been redrawn following the party conference season.