Minister steps down pending inquiry

JUNIOR Justice Minister Shahid Malik stepped down pending an investigation of allegations that he paid below-market rent for a house, the highest profile casualty so far of a growing expenses scandal.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown asked his independent adviser on ministerial interests, Philip Mawer, to investigate allegations about Malik that were made in the Daily Telegraph yesterday.

“Pending the outcome of that urgent investigation, Shahid Malik will be stepping down as minister,” Brown’s spokesman said. Malik said he had followed the rules on parliamentary expenses and the Telegraph allegations were inaccurate.

Malik is the latest politician to suffer from the fallout of a growing controversy over politicians’ perks which has drawn a wave of voter anger that is hurting all the major parties, but particularly the Labour party, in power since 1997.

An MP was suspended from the Labour party and a senior adviser to Conservative leader David Cameron stepped down on Thursday over their expense claims.

First Minister Peter Robinson vigorously defended himself and his wife Iris after it was revealed they had claimed more than £30,000 (€33,700) worth of food on expenses over recent years. The leaked material also includes details of more than £2,000 (€2,246) a month being claimed in mortgage costs for an apartment owned by the couple in London.

The newspaper further states that they each submitted the same £1,223 (€1,373) bill for payment in 2007.

Mr Robinson, DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s First Minister, has described this as an “innocent error” which he said was “happily” halted in the Commons Fees Office.

An opinion poll published yesterday showed Labour slumping to an all-time low as the government bore the brunt of voter anger over the expenses scandal.

The YouGov survey for the Sun found 22% support for Labour, with the Conservatives on 41%.

That would give the Conservatives a landslide victory at the parliamentary election Brown must call within the next year.

The controversy has overshadowed the campaign for June 4 local and European elections, when analysts expect many voters either to stay away or vote for fringe parties, such as the far-right British National Party.

The Daily Telegraph has embarrassed both major parties with daily revelations about how many lawmakers have run up tens of thousands of pounds of questionable expenses.