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Clegg: Police must not 'drag their feet' in charging MPs
Nicholas Cecil, Deputy Political Editor13 Oct 2009
Police chiefs were today urged not to "drag their feet" in charging MPs they believe have committed serious fraud offences.
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg called for "swift justice" to be meted out to politicians found to be guilty of the worst abuses of the expenses system.
The Met, with the Crown Prosecution Service, has launched inquiries into a small number of cases involving claims by MPs and peers.
Mr Clegg told The Standard: "The police should not drag their feet in instigating any valid prosecutions of those MPs who seriously defrauded the taxpayer.
"If trust in the political system is to be restored, then justice must be seen to be done and done swiftly."
The Scotland Yard inquiry into expenses is being carried out by the specialist crime directorate.
Several MPs face allegations that they made thousands, if not tens of thousands of pounds, by fiddling the expenses system. They deny this.
Mr Clegg has also told his party to comply with any "reasonable request" made by Sir Thomas Legg, who is demanding some MPs return payments. Mr Clegg has himself paid back £910 for gardening bills.
