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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Cameron says MPs must say sorry | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Conservative leader David Cameron says MPs must say sorry over controversial expenses claims, as the focus of leaked claims turns on his won party. | |
| He said MPs had to admit the system "was wrong and we're sorry about it". | |
| The Daily Telegraph has reported that Tory MP Alan Duncan recouped £4,000 for gardening costs over three years, including a ride-on lawnmower. | |
| He said all claims were "legitimate". Plans for an independent auditing body for claims are expected on Monday. | |
| The Telegraph has been running leaks, hitherto largely of Labour ministers' and MPs' claims for their second homes. | |
| Conservative MPs are braced for embarrassing revelations as the paper turns its spotlight onto the party's expenses claims. | |
| "Clearly tomorrow is going to be another bad day for Parliament and, frankly, a bad day for the Conservative Party," Mr Cameron said. | |
| "We have to acknowledge just how bad this is. The public are really angry and we have to start by saying, look, this system that we had, that we used, that we operated, that we took part in - it was wrong and we're sorry about it." | |
| According to the Telegraph, a £3,194 bill for gardening submitted by Mr Duncan in March 2007 was not paid after officials said it might not be "within the spirit" of the rules. | |
| If the reports are in all cases correct, then there clearly are instances where MPs have lost contact with the difference between right and wrong Chris HuhneLib Dems MPs' expense claims - key details | |
| In a letter, the fees office said gardening costs were intended "to cover only basic essentials such as grass cutting". | In a letter, the fees office said gardening costs were intended "to cover only basic essentials such as grass cutting". |
| However, the paper said Mr Duncan recouped £4,000 in expenses for gardening costs over three years. | However, the paper said Mr Duncan recouped £4,000 in expenses for gardening costs over three years. |
| In March 2007, he claimed £598 to overhaul a ride-on lawnmower, the Telegraph added. | |
| Shadow cabinet member Mr Duncan oversees party policy on MPs' expenses. | |
| 'Arm's length' | 'Arm's length' |
| Plans for an independent auditing body to oversee MPs' expenses claims are expected to be approved on Monday, following weeks of damaging stories. | Plans for an independent auditing body to oversee MPs' expenses claims are expected to be approved on Monday, following weeks of damaging stories. |
| Senior Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell said MPs would be asked to approve the body, made up entirely of independent people. | Senior Labour MP Sir Stuart Bell said MPs would be asked to approve the body, made up entirely of independent people. |
| Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said MPs faced "a challenge and wake-up call" and the system needed to change. | Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said MPs faced "a challenge and wake-up call" and the system needed to change. |
| Sir Stuart said an independent audit body - separate from the Commons fees office which agrees the claims - would be set up to analyse "every claim that is made". | Sir Stuart said an independent audit body - separate from the Commons fees office which agrees the claims - would be set up to analyse "every claim that is made". |
| Politicians have tended to say 'we were only acting within the rules' but the public think the rules themselves are wrong Liam FoxShadow defence secretary Expenses system 'wrong' - Blears MPs' moral authority 'at low ebb' | |
| BBC political correspondent Ben Wright said currently the fees office is overseen by a committee made up of MPs and independent people - who in turn are overseen by the National Audit Office. | BBC political correspondent Ben Wright said currently the fees office is overseen by a committee made up of MPs and independent people - who in turn are overseen by the National Audit Office. |
| The new body would be entirely independent and cost about £600,000 a year to run. He said the final plan would be put to Parliament for approval on Monday. | The new body would be entirely independent and cost about £600,000 a year to run. He said the final plan would be put to Parliament for approval on Monday. |
| "We will... create a new body, a different body that will be separate," Sir Stuart - a member of the Commons Estimates Committee, told the BBC. | "We will... create a new body, a different body that will be separate," Sir Stuart - a member of the Commons Estimates Committee, told the BBC. |
| "I would hope that once this body is created and is up and running it will then be hived off to the private sector to another firm, so there is an entire arm's length between members of Parliament and those who are dispersing amounts under allowances." | "I would hope that once this body is created and is up and running it will then be hived off to the private sector to another firm, so there is an entire arm's length between members of Parliament and those who are dispersing amounts under allowances." |
| He said MPs had "lost the confidence of the public and we need to get that back". | He said MPs had "lost the confidence of the public and we need to get that back". |
| Voters 'unsympathetic' | |
| Millions of receipts backing up all MPs' expenses claims under the second homes allowance were due to be published in July after a long Freedom of Information campaign. | Millions of receipts backing up all MPs' expenses claims under the second homes allowance were due to be published in July after a long Freedom of Information campaign. |
| But details have been leaked to the Telegraph - which has been publishing selected excerpts over the last few days. | But details have been leaked to the Telegraph - which has been publishing selected excerpts over the last few days. |
| It has concentrated largely on Labour ministers, but says it will publish details of other parties' claims next week. | It has concentrated largely on Labour ministers, but says it will publish details of other parties' claims next week. |
| For the Liberal Democrats, Chris Huhne said: "If the reports are in all cases correct, then there clearly are instances where MPs have lost contact with the difference between right and wrong. | For the Liberal Democrats, Chris Huhne said: "If the reports are in all cases correct, then there clearly are instances where MPs have lost contact with the difference between right and wrong. |
| "I think we need to make sure we're saying that loud and clear because, frankly, the voters are not going to be at all sympathetic if we don't." | "I think we need to make sure we're saying that loud and clear because, frankly, the voters are not going to be at all sympathetic if we don't." |
| Conservative defence spokesman Liam Fox said every MP would have to answer for themselves. | Conservative defence spokesman Liam Fox said every MP would have to answer for themselves. |
| But he told the BBC: "The trouble is that politicians have tended to say 'we were only acting within the rules' but the public think the rules themselves are wrong and go way beyond the legitimate needs of people who have to be in London to represent their constituents in Parliament." | But he told the BBC: "The trouble is that politicians have tended to say 'we were only acting within the rules' but the public think the rules themselves are wrong and go way beyond the legitimate needs of people who have to be in London to represent their constituents in Parliament." |