Speaker warns MPs over comments

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Speaker John Bercow has warned MPs not to risk "the fairness of a criminal trial or prevent such a trial taking place" for the three expenses case MPs.

In a brief statement Mr Bercow did not refer to the question of whether the MPs could claim that parliamentary privilege covered their expenses.

Instead he reminded MPs that sub-judice rules meant MPs could not raise the subject on the floor of the House.

"Members would not wish to interfere with the judicial process," he said.

He said the case of the three MPs facing criminal charges in relation to their expenses should now not be referred to in any motion, debate or question in the Commons, he added.

His statement came after a weekend in which politicians from all parties have been speaking out about the suggestion that lawyers for Labour MPs Elliot Morley, David Chaytor and Jim Devine, who are charged with theft offences, may claim that their expense claims are covered by the centuries-old Parliamentary privilege law.

The law traditionally protects them from being sued for what they say in the Commons.

In a joint statement earlier on Monday the three MPs said "our approach is not one of trying to avoid culpability or seek immunity, but simply to determine the correct forum in which to make our case".

The MPs - plus Conservative peer Lord Hanningfield - face charges of false accounting under section 17 of the Theft Act 1968. If found guilty they face a maximum of seven years' imprisonment. They all deny the charges.