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Tory frontbencher Eleanor Laing has repaid £25,000 as she faces a fight to hold onto her seat.
The shadow justice spokeswoman was criticised after escaping a capital gains tax bill estimated at £180,000 on the sale of two Westminster flats.
The Epping Forest MP agreed in June to repay the equivalent of one year's second home allowance.
She is facing a special meeting of her Epping Forest Conservative Association on 26 October which could lead to her deselection as the party's candidate. She has received the backing of the local party's executive. Ms Laing said: “Even though Sir Thomas Legg has said that I do not have to pay anything back, I feel honour-bound to pay this money.”
Mrs Laing is reported to have made a £1 million profit when she sold the two adjacent flats last year — telling HM Revenue and Customs they were her primary residence and avoiding capital gains tax. But between 2004 and 2008 she claimed £87,725 towards mortgage interest and service charges on the properties after nominating them as her second home.
Meanwhile, former MP Martin Bell claimed that Tory frontbencher Alan Duncan and senior Labour MP Keith Vaz could face anti-sleaze candidates at the general election. He said: “There are a number of people who I am talking to who have expressed a strong interest in running against [Mr Duncan].”
Reader views (11)
I was a labour voter, and lately I was thinking about leaning towards cameron but not now, they have lost my vote
- Alex., brighton, 15/10/2009 16:50
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Cameron's front bench are, in the main, rotten to the core when it comes to their expenses. This dolly's no exception and should be made to pay the full cgt liability.
- Steve, Brentford, 15/10/2009 14:29
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Sleaze... Come on Dave, get a grip on this. The election is not in the bag yet.
- Vini, London, 15/10/2009 13:28
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I feel "honour-bound" to pay this money says Ms Laing, unfortunate choice of words if I ever saw one.
- Fanfan La Tulipe, London, 15/10/2009 13:23
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If she's allowed to stand next yr, the Conservatives will lose my vote.
This aside, in the yrs she has been our MP, I've seen/heard little of her.
She's put up little to no resistance in eyesore developments [in Epping Forest], and not acted to try and prevent the creation of the several dozen traveller sites we're having enforced upon us.
The sooner she goes, the better.
- Scott, Loughton, Essex, 15/10/2009 12:43
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It goes with the territory, if the Labour Justice Minster can fiddle her expenses and employ illegal staff then I guess the Conservatives feel they can behave in the same manner, the Met should be prosecuting both.
- Bob, Cheam, 15/10/2009 10:06
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I think I will vote for my goldfish.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 15/10/2009 09:27
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why should he give the money away? the country needs it otherwise there will be more homeless children
- Cassandra, london, 14/10/2009 22:34
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how dare this woman suggest where her ill gotten gains should go to.
this is taxpayers money,realy she has nothing to offer
the british people
- Kenny, bradford uk, 14/10/2009 18:48
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I feel very sad that such evil crooks are still allowed to be in such lucrative employment, PRISON should be the answer to these scum and an emptying of their bank accounts should be the norm,As for them to escape to the lords is just the final insult, They may think they.re safe but one day they may get their just deserts
- George Dyer, little oakley essex, 14/10/2009 17:45
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Has Cameron sacked her from her job as Shadow Justice Minister? Or now he has got the headlines over her paying back the money is she a fit person to do that job?
- S B Gartram, Sutton England, 14/10/2009 17:27
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