The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, has just announced that charges are being brought against four politicians under section 17 of the Theft Act 1968 for false accounting.
They are:
- Elliot Morley (Labour MP for Scunthorpe) – Two charges: for dishonestly claiming mortgage expenses of £14,428; and for dishonestly claiming £16,000 when there as no longer a mortgage on the property;
- David Chaytor (Labour MP for Bury North) – Three charges: for dishonestly claiming £1,950 for IT services by using false invoices; for dishonestly claiming £12,925 purportedly for renting a property when he was owner of the property; and for for dishonestly claiming £5,425 purportedly for renting a property from his mother;
- Jim Devine (Labour MP for Livingston) – Two charges: for dishonestly claiming £3,240 for cleaning services using false invoices; for dishonestly claiming £5,505 for staionery using false invoices;
- Lord Hanningfield* (Conservative peer and Essex County Councillor) – Six charges: for dishonestly claiming expenses to which he knew he was not entitled, including for staying overnight in London when he had not done so.
Mr Starmer said that there was insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of a conviction of Lord Clarke of Hampstead and that a sixth case was still under investigation.
Read his full statement here.
* Noon update: Lord Hanningfield has resigned from the Conservative frontbench and had the party whip suspended. And by 4pm he had also resigned as Leader of Essex County Council.
Since legal proceedings are now underway against four individuals, comments are closed on this thread.
Jonathan Isaby