British MP resigns over report by watchdog on expenses

Denis MacShane announced he was resigning as an MP last night after a damning report from the Commons expenses watchdog found…

Denis MacShane announced he was resigning as an MP last night after a damning report from the Commons expenses watchdog found that he had wrongly claimed thousands of pounds.

The former Europe minister said he wanted to take “responsibility for my mistakes”.

This was after the standards and privileges committee recommended that he be suspended without pay and pension for a year – the longest suspension of an MP in living memory.

“I have been overwhelmed by messages of support for my work as an MP on a range of issues but I accept that my parliamentary career is over,” he said.

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“I appreciate the committee’s ruling that I made no personal gain and I regret my foolishness in the manner I chose to be reimbursed for work including working as the prime minister’s personal envoy in Europe,” Mr MacShane added. – (PA)