LEADING TORY Eurosceptic Bill Cash vowed he would not quit parliament yesterday after the revelation he used his “second home” expenses to pay his daughter rent on a London flat despite already owning one much closer to Westminster.
The veteran MP indicated he was prepared to pay back some £15,000 after Conservative leader David Cameron said he had “some very serious questions to answer”.
Mr Cash however gave a detailed explanation of his and his family’s living arrangements and said he would only pay back the money “in the context of a fair hearing” by Mr Cameron’s internal party scrutiny panel.
If that process was properly conducted, Mr Cash suggested, then his actions would be seen to have been reasonable in the circumstances.
As Mr Cash fought for his survival, speculation mounted that former Labour minister Eric Morley will announce his decision to stand down following the revelation he claimed £16,000 in mortgage interest over an 18-month period after the mortgage had been paid off. Mr Morley – who apologised, blaming sloppy accounting, and repaid the money – had already been suspended from the parliamentary Labour Party and was under investigation by the party’s new “star chamber”.
With the Westminster expenses scandal already claiming an unprecedented number of political scalps, it was reported the growing crisis inside Labour has seen record numbers of MPs approach Downing Street about their prospects for elevation to the House of Lords, should they decide to stand down at the general election.
The Guardian said this was the clearest indication to date that increasing numbers of Labour politicians believe prime minister Gordon Brown is heading for a heavy defeat at Mr Cameron’s hands.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, meanwhile, has said MPs effectively forced out by the expenses revelations should not be allowed to collect their customary tax-free “golden goodbyes”.
The Daily Telegraph turned its spotlight on the retirement provisions for departing MPs, reporting that those MPs “shamed” into standing down at the election would cost the taxpayer £150,000 each in salaries, pensions and allowances by staying on for another year.
Mr Clegg – who wants constituents to be given the power to recall or sack their MP – said he could see no reason why any MP either sacked or voluntarily standing down should be rewarded this way.
“This money is intended to help people who are suddenly out of office,” the Lib Dem leader insisted. “Anyone who decides to quit their job of their own accord can make arrangements for themselves. MPs should get a leaving card, not a cheque for tens of thousands of pounds.”
Mr Cash told Channel 4 News that it was his “intention” to repay the money claimed for renting his daughter’s flat, although he would “obviously need to look at the situation as it develops”.