Tories to repay 'excessive' claims

The Conservative leader said a new scrutiny panel will be set up to assess all "excessive" expense claims by Tory MPs and where necessary order them to be repaid.

Any who refuse to return the cash will be stripped of the Tory whip and expelled from the parliamentary party, he told a Westminster news conference.

He said when he heard about claims for moats and swimming pools he was appalled. "I don't care if they were within the rules, they were wrong," he said.

Mr Cameron said he would personally pay back "the only maintenance bill I have claimed in eight years as a Member of Parliament", while shadow chancellor George Osborne would return the cost of "a particularly expensive car journey".

Under the new rules for the party, all Tory MPs will required publish all their expense claims on the internet as they make them.

Mr Cameron said: "I want to start by saying sorry, sorry that it has come to this, sorry for the actions of some Conservative MPs."

He said that of his shadow cabinet, Michael Gove would return £7,000 paid for furniture, Oliver Letwin £2,000 for the repair of a leaking pipe under his tennis court, Andrew Lansley £2,600 for home improvements, and Alan Duncan almost £5,000 for gardening expenses.

Francis Maude, Chris Grayling and Theresa Villiers would all stop claiming for second homes altogether.