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Sleaze watchdog launches probe into Tony McNulty expenses
Nicholas Cecil, Chief Political Correspondent26.03.09
LONDON minister Tony McNulty's political future was thrown into doubt today after Westminster's sleaze watchdog launched an inquiry into his expenses.
John Lyon, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, is to investigate the Labour MP's use of nearly £60,000 of taxpayers' money for a second home in Harrow where his parents live.
Harrow East MP Mr McNulty, who is also employment minister, insists he abided by Commons rules.
Mr Lyon will investigate whether his use of the Harrow house meets the criteria for a taxpayer-funded second home. Sir Alistair Graham, the former chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, has stressed that the additional cost allowance, for second homes, is exclusively to pay for expenses incurred for overnight stays.
Mr McNulty is believed to live with his wife, chief schools inspector Christine Gilbert, in a house in Hammersmith which is just three miles from Westminster.
Gordon Brown has stood by the minister, with Downing Street saying the Prime Minister has "full confidence" in him.
However, he now has two senior MPs, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Mr McNulty, being investigated by the commissioner.
Ms Smith was engulfed in controversy after it emerged that she had declared a house she shares with her sister in London as her "main home" and a property in her Worcestershire constituency, where her family lives, as her second home for expenses' purposes.
Reader views (15)
the man has no scruples, to claim in the way he has in the situation he is in is quite clear. his snout is in the trough and he has been caught. if indeed as he claims he has done no wrong, why did he stop claiming ion january? was he warned off that the climate was getting a little unhealthy and it would be better if he dropped claiming for his parents house?
if he did no wrong why stop in january ??
- Anthony Bernie, harrow middlesex
The results of any so-called "enquiry" will not be published until the start of the next parliament. That fact confirms what we already knew - it will be a complete whitewash. These offences ought to be dealt with by a POLICE enquiry - not by ones colleagues. By condoning their behaviour Gordon Brown is as guilty as they are.
- R.F., Yorks, UK
So, would Gordon Brown encourage all MPs to do the same? If not, why not?
- Ted, London
The 2006 Fraud Act 2 Fraud by false representation
(1) A person is in breach of this section if he—
(a) dishonestly makes a false representation, and
(b) intends, by making the representation—
(i) to make a gain for himself or another.
- Frank, Bristol UK
No 'ifs' and no 'buts'!
HA! HA! HA!
- Cronyblatcher, London UK
Comrade McBroon "has full confidence in him". In other words, he already knows what the outcome of this inquiry will be, because he told John Lyon what he was allowed to find.
Anyone who seriously believes that Soviet Labour will reveal a damaging truth about a senior Politburo member will surely also be easily convinced that the moon really is made of cheese!
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
He and several cabinat colleagues should resign from office immediately. This is as about as bad as an abuse of trust can get!!!!! You have no shame and are not fit to clean my shoes even let alone hold seats of such important public office!!
- Raymond, Poole
yer man is going to be very busy.
once the top crust comes of the manure heap, he'll be knee deep in sleaze, corruption and a feeding frenzy of
self serving creative opportunisam at the taxpayers expence.
i wouldn't wonder he'll have a list of names with dubious accounts of who creamed off what and why that would fill
many a little black book.
an all party bean feast and wasn't i hearing that a good few more inventive 'members' suggested that instead of expences they'd be well happy to have their basic salary raised.
sure, wouldn't we all.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk
It would be great if this enquiry succeeds in shutting up the great pontificator for a while.
- M Wilkinson, London UK
Not all whitewashes. The Conservative Local Government Minister, Caroline Spelman and Conservative MP Bernard Conway, both had to repay several thousand pounds. Perhaps Mr McNulty will have to do the same.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa, Spain
DC London. You are right. Also they wiill make sure the results of this enquirey will not be published until after the next election. But all of that won't matter anyway. We know all the parties are steeling from us - that's what it is theft. The rules were carefully made by them, for them. But that matters not. We now know what sort of low lifes we have in Parliament. And the joke is, it was a BNP member and retired police inspecter that bought this to everyones attention in the first place with Conway and others.
- Sylvia, Epping Essex
Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
Yes Nobby, he was within the rules, but he knew it was wrong & a ridiculous allowance(by his own admission), but he still decided to milk it. What does that tell you about the man? No backbone? No morals? No ethics? Are these the qualities we want in our government ministers?
- Margy, London
An expensive and drawn out enquiry will find that he acted perfectly reasonably within the rules that his colleagues created.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, Scotland
They will be investigating how to cover it up...They are all at it!!
- Dc, London
Don't expect anything other than a whitewash though.
- Keith , UK
