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No Tory action on MP’s £100k claims
Joe Murphy and Nicholas Cecil15.10.09
David Cameron today took no action against a Conservative MP who is accused of paying £100,000 of public money into his own company.
David Wilshire, 66, set up the business with his girlfriend and then paid it with his Commons allowances for office assistance and other services.
Mr Wilshire, the MP for Spelthorne, Surrey, admits that he and his partner Ann Palmer were the sole owners of Moorlands Research Services, which was not a registered company. For three years between 2005 and 2008, Mr Wilshire paid up to £3,250 a month into it. Along with extra invoices submitted, the total paid was £105,500.
Parliamentary expenses rules forbid MPs from entering into arrangements that “may give rise to an accusation“ of profiteering from taxpayers' money. According to the Daily Telegraph, parliamentary officials did not check how the money was spent and Mr Wilshire did not provide a breakdown.
But Mr Wilshire last night referred himself to the parliamentary Standards Commissioner, John Lyon, who will mount a formal inquiry into the arrangement. This is likely to take several months.
Although Mr Cameron has set up a scrutiny panel to investigate controversial or excessive expenses claims made by any Conservative MP, his spokesman said that it would be left to Mr Lyons to investigate.
“He has referred himself to the Commissioner John Lyon, and that process has to be gone through,” said the Tory leader's spokesman.
Mr Wilshire today said: “I am deeply hurt by the way in which the Daily Telegraph has reported on my expenses and disappointed that it has not published all of my response to their enquiries.
“My constituents are rightly entitled to the truth about these allegations. I have therefore written to the Commissioner for Standards asking him to conduct an inquiry.
“Until I have had an opportunity to take his advice, I think it best if I say nothing further.”
Mr Wilshire's claims were made through office allowances and so have not been examined as part of Sir Thomas Legg's review into second home expenses.
Meanwhile, MPs accused of milking their expenses are planning to quit Parliament at the next election to avoid being forced to pay the money back. There are 108 MPs who have already announced they will step down at the election.
Reader views (29)
My son was asked to leave his place of work as he had eaten an out of date crabstick. £100k stolen by David Wilshire and he gets to keep his job.
- Julian, gloucester, u.k
The 108 MP's who have been caught with their hands in the till should be sacked immediately. Allowing them to stay until the next election means that they get full payout at the end of the term as well as keeping the money they have swiped.
- Gavin, Sydney Australia
I doubt any of this shower have the necessary integrity to step down with immediate effect. One could speculate that the former Speaker only did so because he knew he was going to get a peerage.
The former Mr Martin's Glasgow constituents remain without an MP, as they have been since he stepped down on 21st June.
It would be interesting to know if "Lord Mick" received a letter from Sir Thomas.
- John C, Leatherhead, UK
NO TORY ACTION ON MP’s £100k CLAIMS... and people still wonder what's wrong with this Country!
- Maverick Kaizer, London, UK
I kept an open mind on the Tories,even thought of voting for them,but today I can see they learnt nothing from being thrown out of goverment.They are,and always will be a party for the rich and as Boris proved today,they will steal from the poor and working class to fund their Rich life styles.If they do succeed in getting power,expect increases on the other essential services like fuel,food,water and nhs.
- Dave, london
Last straw time for the two political parties in England. And people villify me for getting a (tiny) bonus working all hours in an investment bank ?? The BNP gets my vote going forward, and I don't care what colour the candidate is. Just want an MP who looks after my interests together with those of ENGLAND, without needing to fiddle expenses to do it...
- Richard, London, England
Why aren't the police involved? There is absolutely no definition of the word "theft" that wouldn't cover this disgusting act. Start locking these thieves up, pronto.
- Poor Pensioner, London/England
John Lyon will find that Mr Wilsher has been a naughty boy and will ask him to apologise to the House. End of story. I think a precedent has already been set for this.
- Matt, London
Should he be not made to pay it back by the Standards Commissioner then David Cameron has to keep up his policy of kicking out these MP's.
- Peter, Vienna, Austria
Am I right to assume that by stepping down rather than quitting now it means these MPS still gain access to all their generous pension rights and other post Parliment benefits?.
Find this whole thing a very frustrating experience in feeling powerless to do anything about it.
I think the electoral list should have a figure on it with the amount each candidate has been accused of fiddling alongside their Party's total. However that then means my vote is based solely on this issue and ignores other policies they may have.
- Kieren, London, England
Just where has PERSONAL honesty, morality, integrity and veracity gone? "I thought it was legel gov - so I done it didn`t I"
Some years ago I was working for a Bank when a buyer asked me if I could get a quote from my Dad to supply certain items of office equipment. "Do not ASK ME I replied. You can ask him yourself but before you do so YOU MUST appraise my Line Manager of the situation to avoid any possibility that we might be accused of taking back-handers"
This "private" "company" should, in morality have precluded itself from undertaking work for its (sole?) proprietors or for any other Member who might have had a mutual back scratching motive?
- Roy, Billericay Essex
Same David Wilshire who opposed the minimum wage.
Nice guy.
- Greg, London
Can we now stop being hypocritical and calling M.P's
'Right Honourable Members' of Parliament?
- Norman Maton, Christchurch, Dorset, England
My question is where is Lizzie Windsor & Co - as long as their tax-funded expenses / accounts aren't disturbed, it's water off a ducks back...
Don't worry, tax increases are in the pipeline to continue subsidising this nonsense...
- Scrappy-Doo, London
I am in the process of filling my modest income tax return (all PAYE) should I ask MPs for advice on tax avoidance ?
- A.N.Other-Fool, Exeter, UK
The Baldchemist
So it's ok to fiddle the system then?
If everyone adopted the same attitude as you without any morals then what's the point in living.
I suppose mugging an old dear of her pension would be ok as well then?
Some of us like to think of ourselves as decent law abiding folk who have standards and morals, not some cheating lying weassle milking the system for what it's worth. Thank god i dont live in Sweden if they all adopt your attitude.
- Steve, Medway,England
Nice to know we have such honourable members act as public servants.
If this was OK would all the other MPS have also created they buffer companies? They are all enterprising.
- Richard, London
I along with thousands of other ordinary working people am thoruoghly disgusted at the way all those guilty m.ps have been robbing the tax payers of this country with their phony expenses.they should be dealt with as common crimanals and have to face the full power of the law and be made to pay every penny back.As a pensioner I was once overpaid by £60 through no fault of my mine and my pension book was taken off me and altered so that I paid back £5 per week until the money was all paid back.Theres an old saying theres an old saying whats googd for the googe is good for the gander, a saying I fully agree with.
- Stephen Mitchell, wasahington tyne & wear u.ki along with
Why be so hypocritical? Eveyone of us, given the chance would and probably does fiddle the system one way or the other.
The amounts are trivial and the cost of searching far outways the amounts to be returned.
If anyone has commited crimes then let them be charged. Simple.
The responsible auditor is the one who needs scrutiny.
And what are you on about? "Decent folks" who are you refering to? "Methinks you protesteth too much". Oh for the chance!
- The Baldchemist, Linkoping Sweden
They are all as bad as each other, whether they are Tory,Labour or Lib Dem. What is the point in a General Election if they are all cheating lying money-grabbing weassle's that they all are. These MP's have insulted and offended all the war veterans who gave their lives for Queen and country so we could have the right to vote for such a vile bunch of gready MP's.
I for one would to think long and hard whether i want to vote for such corrupt individuals next year.
- Steve, Medway,England
The voters of Spelthorne Surrey will deal with Mr David Wilshire MP, if Mr David Cameron lacks the leadership. Did Mr Wilshire by any chance go to Eton!
- Andrew, London
Totally rotten and corrupt all the way through and one of the reasons while I will not be voting for any of the three major parties. Cameron will do exactly the same as Tony Bliar, absolutely nothing except fill his own pockets along with his business pals in the city.
- Stephend, London, England
So now we all know that in order to clear one's debts one needs only to leave one's employment. The irony is that in the case of Labour defaulters they'll be out of work early next year anyway. Sounds like sense to me.
- John, derby UK
It seems that Mr Cameron only gets annoyed at people claiming small sums. Large sums such as Mr Cameron's and Mr Osborne's to buy huge country mansions seem OK in Dave's eyes.
- S B Gartram, Sutton England
But Mr Wilshire last night referred himself to the parliamentary Standards Commissioner, John Lyon, who will mount a formal inquiry into the arrangement. This is likely to take several months.
Will he face any penalty if found that he has been milking the system if he has stepped down ?
pigs may fly .
Wonder why only 108 stepping down if as many have stated that they need the expenses to do their job because of being poorly paid !!!!!
- Alan Baker, essex .uk
If this was a private sector company where the rules were not explicit and employees milked the company, because others had got away with it, then the organisation would be entitled to call in the police. As a shareholder in HoP ltd I want the police to be involved. I have heard it said many times "If people were honest we would not need rules/laws". These people are intrinsically dishoest.
- John Campbell, Thurso UK
Not only should they leave, some should go straight to prison (via a very public trial).
- Very Very Angry At Paying Tax For Mp'S Expeses, Home Counties
The gravy train is about to reach the end of the line. Good riddance to them.
- Mark Myword, London
Why should it make any difference if they choose to stand down. For those who abused the system should be held to account like any other Joe Public.
Some have pilfered thousands £. Some decent folks don't even earn that in a year.
- Asw, HK
