Mandelson blasts press for smearing MPs with ‘stolen’ files

The Business Secretary, whose career has been dogged by rows over his personal finances, claimed that revelations in the Daily Telegraph today "besmirched" parliamentarians by portraying innocent claims for necessary expenses as greed.

He said: "When you see something like this in a paper like the Telegraph you can react with sort of boiling anger at the attempt to smear or traduce half the Cabinet, and you should rail at what motivates a Tory-supporting paper to mount an operation like this.

"Or you take it more philosophically, you accept that this is what passes for modern journalism — you don't allow yourself to be diverted from it as a minister and you get on with your day job, and that's what I intend to do."

Lord Mandelson claimed there was not a "scintilla of evidence" to show any Cabinet ministers had done anything wrong. He added: "They are besmirching politicians."

Former home secretary Charles Clarke accused the newspaper of using "stolen information to attack and discredit Parliament". However, freedom of information campaigners pointed out that many details would never have come to light had the Telegraph not obtained the unedited files.

Among the issues that would have been kept secret were the payments totalling £6,577 from Gordon Brown to his brother Andrew for a cleaner.

The leaked records show that Andrew Brown's name was to have been blacked out in the officially published version, concealing the financial relationship from the public.

Sir Stuart Bell, who sits on the House of Commons Commission, called the newspaper's revelations chequebook journalism. He said: "It undermines the very basis of our democracy and is against all the rules of fair play, and rewards thieves or leakers."

He continued: "If this was received by unauthorised means, it is disgraceful that a national newspaper should stoop so low as to buy information which will be in the public domain in July." The Telegraph refused to discuss its source but The Times recently confirmed that it was offered computer discs containing scanned receipts and full expenses records over five years for £300,000.

Several media organisations appear to have rejected the disc but it is likely to have been the source of the recent revelations about Jacqui Smith claiming for her husband's television viewing, which included adult movies.

Suspicions at Westminster are that an individual at an outside company employed by the Commons to process the receipts took the opportunity to make an illicit copy. Andrew Porter, the Telegraph's political editor, insisted: "There's an element to this that is most definitely in the public interest."

He was backed by the Taxpayers Alliance pressure group which said the revelations were important and illuminating.

The Times account said the discs were being hawked by a City-based businessman. It added: "When he made clear that he was expecting money, The Times turned down the offer."