Labour turn back on expenses MPs
By politics.co.uk staff
Cabinet ministers have made clear the three MPs facing prosecution over their expenses claims should not use parliamentary privilege for their defence.
Elliot Morley, David Chaytor and Jim Devine will be charged under the Theft Act as the Crown Prosecution Service seeks the first criminal convictions from the scandal. Peer Lord Hanningfield is also being charged.
Over the weekend, home secretary Alan Johnson said parliamentary privilege did not offer a ‘get out of jail free’ card.
“They are entitled to a fair trial and the public… would be aghast if they thought there was some special get out of jail card for parliamentarians,” he told the BBC.
Deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman took a similar stance on Sky News, saying: “MPs are not above the law.
“These people are standing trial on very serious charges. They will be able to make their defence but the law will take its course.”
Mr Devine told the Times newspaper that a whip had given MPs instructions to “move money around” between different accounts.
The government whips’ office has begun an internal investigation into the allegation, it reported.
