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| Four plead not guilty on expenses | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Three MPs and a peer have pleaded not guilty in court to charges related to their expenses claims. | |
| Jim Devine, Elliot Morley, David Chaytor and Lord Hanningfield all told Westminster magistrates they denied theft by false accounting. | |
| All four were released on unconditional bail and will appear at Southwark Crown Court on 30 March. | All four were released on unconditional bail and will appear at Southwark Crown Court on 30 March. |
| The MPs are all suspended by the Labour Party, while Lord Hanningfield has been suspended by the Conservatives. | The MPs are all suspended by the Labour Party, while Lord Hanningfield has been suspended by the Conservatives. |
| Police began investigating after details of all MPs' expenses claims were leaked to the Daily Telegraph. | Police began investigating after details of all MPs' expenses claims were leaked to the Daily Telegraph. |
| Privilege | Privilege |
| The four appeared after being charged last month with false accounting in relation to their expenses claims. | |
| They face charges under section 17 of the Theft Act 1968 and if found guilty they face a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment. | They face charges under section 17 of the Theft Act 1968 and if found guilty they face a maximum sentence of seven years' imprisonment. |
| At the time charges were brought, the three MPs said they "totally refute any charges that we have committed an offence". | At the time charges were brought, the three MPs said they "totally refute any charges that we have committed an offence". |
| He is devastated to be in this position Spokesman for Lord Hanningfield | |
| A statement from their lawyers following their court appearance on Thursday said: "The MPs maintain that to prosecute them in criminal court for their Parliamentary activities would infringe the principle of the separation of powers and Parliamentary privilege." | A statement from their lawyers following their court appearance on Thursday said: "The MPs maintain that to prosecute them in criminal court for their Parliamentary activities would infringe the principle of the separation of powers and Parliamentary privilege." |
| Parliamentary privilege traditionally guarantees MPs and peers immunity from slander laws for statements in Parliamentary debate and also relates to access to the Parliamentary buildings. | Parliamentary privilege traditionally guarantees MPs and peers immunity from slander laws for statements in Parliamentary debate and also relates to access to the Parliamentary buildings. |
| Lord Hanningfield also made a statement after the hearing, via his spokesman Mark Spragg, who said the peer had "devoted the last 40 years of his life to public service". | |
| "He is devastated to be in this position. He feels he has been singled out. He does not believe that he has done anything dishonest." |