Tory MPs use expenses to fund Commons research unit

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The Conservative leader moved to outflank Gordon Brown yesterday by forcing all but seven of his 193 MPs to publish details of their expenses.

But his move seemed to backfire when it emerged that 78 Tory MPs were claiming Commons expenses to pay for the party's "Parliamentary Resources Unit".

Labour MPs pay about £2,000 a year out of their own pockets towards their party's Resource Centre, which provides research and advice for backbenchers.

The Conservatives appear to be funding their unit - which works exclusively for 150 Tory MPs and peers - from the public purse. According to the list of Tory MPs' allowances, 78 of them claimed expenses to pay a subscription to the unit. Since it was founded in 1998, critics believe it may have used more than £3 million in public funds.

Labour MP John Mann said the Tories should repay the money immediately. "It's quite obvious that this is party political activity," he said.

The PRU website insists that it complies fully with Commons rules on the use of parliamentary allowances.

A spokeswoman for Mr Cameron said: "The PRU is a perfectly legitimate resource."