U-turn on MP expenses secrecy plans

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Downing Street indicated that a motion to exempt Parliament from key parts of the Freedom of Information Act will not now be tabled on Thursday.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Gordon Brown hit out at the Tories for withdrawing their support from the controversial move.

The turnaround came little more than an hour after the Prime Minister's spokesman reiterated the Government's intention to order Labour MPs to back the move - rather than give them a free vote.

The Commons authorities have spent some £1 million since May scanning and redacting around a million receipts ready for publication - on top of the £150,000 bill for their failed legal battle.

A Lords Committee hit out at ministers for trying to "rush through" the plans and not being clear over why they were necessary.

Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg said: "This is a humiliating climbdown for Gordon Brown after he was forced to accept that people will not tolerate MPs continuing to act like members of a secret society.

"It is also a victory for everyone who think that politicians should be open and accountable to the people who pay their wages."

A spokeswoman for Mr Cameron said: "David Cameron and the shadow cabinet and the Conservative Party has done absolutely no deals with the Government over this. They are trying to defend their decision to try to exempt MPs from the Freedom of Information Act by claiming there was some kind of bogus deal. There was not."

Peter Facey, director of campaigning group Unlock Democracy, said: "We are delighted that the Government has finally seen sense and backed down on this measure. If passed, this Order would have had a catastrophic impact on the reputation of Parliament. We now call on the Parliamentary authorities to publish MPs' expenses at the earliest opportunity."