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A TORY peer and shadow minister is being investigated by Scotland Yard over his £100,000 expense claims, it emerged today.
Lord Hanningfield claimed the public money in overnight allowances despite living just 46 miles from Westminster.
Records show he claimed £17,120 in the year ending March 2008 for the cost of staying overnight in London in order to attend the Lords.
The Daily Telegraph said his claims totalled £100,000 over seven years.
The Met specialist crimes unit wants to establish whether the shadow transport minister actually stayed in London on the evenings for which he claimed, rather than returning to his home near Chelmsford.
Rules state that peers whose main home is outside the capital can claim an allowance of £174 a night if their stay is "for the purpose of attending sittings of the House". Receipts are not required.
Lord Hanningfield, who is also leader of Essex county council, told the Telegraph he could justify all his expenses and blamed questions over his claims on a "vindictive campaign against me".
Reader views (5)
Chelmsford is not far from Westminster in a Chauffer driven car. I'm sure his Lordship could spend the evenings wining and dining at the Taxpayers expense and still get home safely in an hour.
- Ernie West, Hammersmith England, 06/07/2009 10:28
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Not wishing to drag this into a political, red vs. blue debate but...
...why aren't plod investigating the hordes of MPs who screwed the parliamentary expenses system for the past few years? Smith, Hoon, Darling, Cameron, Osborne, Opik, Cable and the Lib-Dem leader (can't remember his name).
Not only them, but also the four Labour peers who offered to change enacted laws for cash, as well as the countless peers in the Lords that are only there because they have donated so much to the party, sorry, done so much for charity.
Who is responsible for initiating these investigations? It all smells very fishy.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 03/07/2009 17:18
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I find it stunning that the Police are not "investigating" dozens of Labour MP's & Peers? Has the UK Police Force become so politicized? This stunning descent into 3rd World banana republic corruption is not just sickening but truly frightening. Chelmsford is way out of London and given the nature of the job the Peer is entitled to stay overnight in London, the trains are irregular and definitely not safe late at night. Kick this Nu Labor scum out before they do any more damage. The Police look like they need a root and branch weeding out too!
- James Macleod Ritchie, Oyster Bay Cove,NY,USA, 03/07/2009 15:51
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I find it stunning that the Police are not "investigating" dozens of Labour MP's & Peers? Has the UK Police Force become so politicized? This stunning descent into 3rd World banana republic corruption is not just sickening but truly frightening. Chelmsford is way out of London and given the nature of the job the Peer is entitled to stay overnight in London, the trains are irregular and definitely not safe late at night. Kick this Nu Labor scum out before they do any more damage. The Police look like they need a root and branch weeding out too!
- James Macleod Ritchie, Oyster Bay Cove,NY,USA, 03/07/2009 15:51
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Have the Met Police got anywhere in investigating Boris's latest resignee over his expense claims? What is it about Tory Council Leaders that makes them behave like this? It can't be poverty as they are all now richly rewarded. It must be the thought of getting something for free, even if they have to promise to save waste of Taxpayersw money in Public.
- Shirley Canton, Alton England, 03/07/2009 12:49
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