MP’s claims weren’t ‘misleading’

Jan 30 2010 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal

TYNE Bridge MP David Clelland has been cleared of submitting misleading claims in the Parliamentary expenses scandal, it was revealed yesterday.

The Labour MP, who announced this week that he will step down at the next election, was told last year he would have to pay back money relating to his second home.

Expenses auditor Sir Thomas Legg had raised the issue of “conflicted transactions” over his second home in London, but declined to say how much cash was to be returned.

The expense claims in question were from 2004, but were then judged against new rules brought in after public outrage at some of the items claimed on expenses.

Mr Clelland has always rejected any suggestion of wrongdoing for buying his partner’s share of their London flat using a mortgage covered in part by second home expenses.

At the time of his claims there were no rules preventing him from simplifying his living arrangements.

Since then, former appeals court judge Sir Paul Kennedy has investigated cases where MPs felt they should not have to repay cash.

Last night Mr Clelland said: “Sir Paul has cleared me of making improper claims against my parliamentary allowances.

“Sir Paul has said that there was nothing improper about the arrangements I made in the summer of 2004, that it was made for a proper purpose, it was fully disclosed at the time, and it did not cast any additional burden on the public purse.