MPs’ relief at expenses victory
By politics.co.uk staff
Liberal Democrat frontbencher Jeremy Browne has won his appeal against repaying nearly £18,000 of expenses claims.
Mr Browne, who is Vince Cable’s deputy on the Treasury portfolio, had been told by expenses auditor Sir Thomas Legg to repay £17,894.24.
He had decided Mr Browne should only claim on the original £130,000 mortgage for his London flat. The Taunton MP had remortgaged this to raise the deposit for a constituency home.
Ex-judge Sir Paul Kennedy judged that “special reasons” existed which justified the case.
“Although I feel vindicated I do not feel elated. The expenses revelations have severely damaged public trust in politics,” the BBC quoted Mr Browne as having.
Another MP, Labour backbencher Ann Cryer, has also escaped.
She had been in line for a “substantial demand” but only faces having to repay £1,600 for household items.
An appeal lodged by Tory MP Roger Gale was also allowed in full, it emerged this afternoon.
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