Anger over MP claims could force election

DISSOLVING parliament could be the only way to rescue MPs’ reputation amid growing public fury over the Westminster expenses gravy train, Gordon Brown was warned yesterday.

With yet more senior politicians embroiled in the latest tranche of claims revelations, a former Commons deputy speaker said an early general election was needed to save the “foundations of democracy”.

The call came as the House authorities mounted a desperate rear-guard action to shore up trust in the allowances regime. An independent audit unit is to be created – at a cost of £600,000 (€675,000) a year – to monitor claims.