Cameron calls for fraud probes
David Cameron urges fraudulent MPs to be investigated by police
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Saturday, 30, May 2009 06:10
Conservative leader David Cameron has urged the police to investigate fraudulent MPs whose dodgy dealings have been exposed in the ongoing expenses scandal.
Mr Cameron said he believes all those who have effectively claimed for "phantom" expenses - such as former Labour minister Elliot Morley - should be "subject to the full force of the law".
Mr Morley has announced he will step down from Parliament at the next election after it was revealed he claimed £16,000 in mortgage payments after his debts had been paid off.
And in an interview with the Daily Telegraph, Mr Cameron said: "If people have broken the law in claiming expenses, like mortgage payments for mortgages that don't exist, should they be subject to the full force of the law? Yes of course they should.
"I've said it's not for me to call in the police but the police know what the law is and if they feel it's been broken they should be able to look at that without fear or favour."
Mr Cameron also said he is "ashamed" at the actions of MPs across the board, many of whom have been publicly condemned for making outrageous or false claims on the Parliamentary expenses system.
At least three other MPs - David Chaytor, Ben Chapman and former Conservative frontbencher Bill Wiggin - have also made phantom claims for interest on mortgages.
And it has been suggested such claims may be a breach of the 2007 Fraud Act and the 1968 Theft Act, which could lead to criminal offences being brought and MPs being imprisoned.