Lincolnshire MPs pay back almost £30k
Lincolnshire MPs have repaid almost £30,000 in expenses claims, the long-awaited review in to parliamentary expenses has revealed.
Sleaford and North Hykeham MP Douglas Hogg, who hit the headlines last year over a claim for cleaning his moat, has repaid £20,000 in cleaning and gardening expenses.
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Gillian Merron, Douglas Hogg and Edward Leigh have all been forced to cough up cash for expenses claims.
He had appealed against the decision, but the review by Sit Thomas Legg revealed that the appeal had been rejected, and Mr Hogg has now repaid the money, used in part to fund a full-time gardener and a housekeeper.
City MP Gillian Merron has also repaid £6,305 in mortgage interest on her second home.
Ms Merron, who has repaid £6,305 for mortgage interest payments on her second home, said her overpayment was due to "administrative errors made in 2007/08 and 2008/09 which I have put right immediately, and made repayment in full".
"There is no suggestion by Sir Thomas of any wrongdoing on my part," she went on.
"I have always welcomed the audit by Sir Thomas Legg as an important step in MPs regaining the public's trust after a damaging period for politics."
Gainsborough MP Edward Leigh was told his appeal against Sir Thomas's findings had been partially successful – leaving him with a reduced bill of more than £3,000 for cleaning and gardening claims.
Mr Leigh said: "I'm naturally pleased to have won my appeal.
"When I increased my mortgage I recognised it would be wrong to increase my mortgage interest claim. Sir Paul Kennedy has recognised that Sir Thomas Legg's ruling was neither fair nor equitable."
"Whilst I am fully aware of the public's strong views on this whole sad affair I trust that they will recognise this decision as natural justice."
Sir Thomas and his team of auditors found that Mr Hogg had claimed for "numerous items that were not allowable" including the services of a full-time gardener and repair work for buildings other than his historic home over a four-year period.
The MP's claims breached Sir Thomas's limit of £2,000 per year for cleaning and £1,000 for gardening.
Mr Hogg had appealed against the finding, arguing that all of the payments had been approved at the time by the Commons Fees Office – a point Sir Thomas accepted.
The MP, who is standing down at this year's election, said he was pleased the report made it clear "there was no impropriety in what I did, and that everything that I claimed and how I claimed it was agreed in advance with the then head of the Fees Office".
"Although I think that it is pretty rough justice that clear written agreements entered into openly and in good faith with the proper authorities can be overturned retrospectively and at the stroke of a pen, I am glad to have had my name cleared and I have repaid the money," he added.
Gainsborough MP Edward Leigh, one of the Commons' senior members, was initially told to repay £6,725 for mortgage interest, cleaning and gardening at his London home.
The figure was reduced to £3,613 on appeal, with Sir Thomas accepting that he had under-claimed in some years, and Mr Leigh has now repaid the money.
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by Resident, West-Lindsey
Tuesday, February 16 2010, 3:02PM
“Its a pity that Edward Leigh thinks having his inappropriate expenses reduced is a victory.
"I'm naturally pleased to have won my appeal.
Same old tory boy bent as a nine bob note!!”
by lynn, lincoln
Monday, February 08 2010, 11:08AM
“Llama Mate aka Alma Matters aka Lesley, you can change your name but not your style.”
by fed up with these, lincs
Friday, February 05 2010, 6:31PM
“enna matters could you be the gob , of lama mate or that other idiot who babbles political crap hiypo, makes me wonder.you too should be on face book or twatter i mean twitter you numb brains”
by Llama Mate, Lincoln
Friday, February 05 2010, 4:56PM
“Oh Martin, you're so cruel :(
I am outraged at your cruelty. Morally outraged. Men like you should be strung up.
Humf...
mutter mutter mutter”
by Martin, Lincoln
Friday, February 05 2010, 4:28PM
“'I can see it now - Llama and Hypo: rescuing the morally outraged from the media since 2010....'
It's a beautiful dream with just the one small flaw: nobody gives a toss what either of you think.”
by Ian, Lincoln
Friday, February 05 2010, 2:38PM
“Technically in the wrong, morally in the wrong, crooks, money-grabbers, genuine mistakes or innocent, it doesn¿t really matter. MPs have learnt that the People ultimately are more powerful than they are, and if riled their anger is an unstoppable force. I remember see some very worried or even scared MPs on Question Time.
We have learnt that complacency leads to bad government and we should take a bit more notice of what goes on in Westminster.
MPs are no longer trusted or believed which is going to make their jobs a lot more difficult. Everything they say is going to be questioned and with an election is coming soon the world is not going to be a comfortable place for them.”
by Hypo, Lincoln
Friday, February 05 2010, 2:02PM
“That I am too fussed but "Health Minister who can't even control her own department in her own backyard", since she has become health minister the exec hasn't worked and has been kicked out. I am all for complaining about real issues like lies leading to war in Iraq, but this is a nothing. All of the money claimed by MPs amounts to less than 1% of the business tax BP pay in. Sorry I mean our tax money they pay in.
Llama Mate, good name and good outlook on life”
by Geoffrey G Brooking, Milton
Friday, February 05 2010, 12:49PM
“Admin errors!!!!
Give it a rest Gillian.
That's what your quangos and jobs for the boys are there for dear.
So not only do we have a Health Minister who can't even control her own department in her own backyard but we also now can't even have a local minister who can't even control her expenses.
Me smells a P45 coming sometime around May 6th even if it will only be to pass on ready for your next dierctorship.”
by Steve Markham, Lincoln
Friday, February 05 2010, 12:46PM
“I guess we're expected to believe that the repayment of overpayment of mortgage interest payments due to 'administriative errors' would have been made immediately as soon as they arose under any circumstances. They haven't been prompted by the expenses row. Of course. I sometimes wonder how gullible they think we are.”
by Llama mate, Lincoln
Friday, February 05 2010, 11:58AM
“Hypo, please be my sidekick! We could travel the country calming the outraged British public down and telling them that at least we don't live in Russia or Italy where the political system is REALLY corrupt!
I can see it now - Llama and Hypo: rescuing the morally outraged from the media since 2010....
Yes of course the minority who have committed fraud (house-flipping) should be prosecuted but the majority of MPs have just taken a little extra when they knew they shouldn't have done. Oh boo hoo. Stop banging on about "our taxes" and "you work for us" blah blah blah. Either stand up and do something or shut up. Stop whining and get back to moaning about bins or traffic or the council or something else not worth wittering about....live your lives you bores!”