Conway will quit as MP at next election

Jan 31 2008 by Graeme Whitfield, The Journal

MP Derek Conway last night announced he would step down at the next election, after embroiling the Conservatives in sleaze allegations over payments to his family.

The former Tyne and Wear councillor decided to quit the Commons after talks with party chief whip Patrick McCloughlin, as Scotland Yard confirmed it had received a letter of complaint over the affair.

Leader David Cameron withdrew the whip from Mr Conway on Tuesday.

In a statement released by the party, Mr Conway said: “I have had tremendous support from my local party, my family and friends, but have concluded that it is time to step down.

“Since joining the Conservative Party nearly 40 years ago, I have had the privilege of serving in public office since 1974 and have done so to the best of my ability.

“I have advised the chief whip and the chairman of my local Conservative association that I shall not seek to continue as the Conservative Party candidate for Old Bexley and Sidcup at the next election. Though not an original supporter of David Cameron for the leadership of my party, I believe that he has shown he has both the ability and the character to be Prime Minister of our country and I do not wish my personal circumstances to be a distraction in any way from the real issues that have to be addressed.”

Mr Conway, who grew up in Gateshead, was found by the Commons Standards and Privileges Committee to have misused parliamentary funds by paying a £11,773 salary, plus bonuses totalling more than £10,000, to his younger son Freddie while he was a full-time student at Newcastle.

The committee found the arrangement was “at the least, an improper use of parliamentary allowances: at worst, it was a serious diversion of public funds”.

MPs will vote today on its recommendation that Mr Conway should be suspended from the Commons for 10 days and required to repay up to £13,161 of the cash.

He also now faces a possible police inquiry and fresh sleaze investigations into complaints about payments made to his other son, Henry. Scotland Yard said yesterday it had received a letter from Duncan Borrowman, the Liberal Democrat challenger for the MP’s parliamentary seat, asking officers to examine whether a fraud had been committed.

News of Mr Conway’s decision came as the new head of the public watchdog committee set up to investigate MPs’ conduct said they should be subjected to greater checks on how they spend taxpayer-funded allowances.

Sir Christopher Kelly, chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said: “This case is undoubtedly a very serious breach of parliamentary rules and further undermines public trust in our politicians.

“I understand why there are calls for rules to ban MPs employing members of their families and indeed there are international precedents for doing this, and it could be the right thing to do.

“However, it could also seem a rather harsh answer to the problem. An alternative approach would be to insist on greater transparency and proper monitoring of existing requirements, which is generally better than creating new rules and prohibitions.”