British police to probe expenses complaints

A panel of senior Scotland Yard officers and prosecutors will meet next week to decide what action to take over claims British MPs' misused parliamentary expenses.

Officials will assess whether criminal inquiries are necessary in the wake of a surge in the number of complaints from members of the public.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson and Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer decided to establish the panel, a spokesman said.

The Westminster expenses scandal claimed its first government victim today when Labour MP Shahid Malik stepped down as justice minister pending an investigation.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown ordered a probe into whether Mr Malik, who denies any wrongdoing, had breached the ministerial code over a reported sub £100-a-week (€112) rent deal.

Dewsbury MP Mr Malik insisted he had done nothing wrong and said he looked forward to returning as a minister “with my head held high”.

The alleged constituency home rent deal was reported by The Daily Telegraph alongside details of the MP’s £66,827 (€75,217) claim over three years for his second home, a London townhouse.

He staunchly defended his expenses claims, which he said were entirely within the rules and for which he had “absolutely nothing to apologise for”.

The Telegraph said items covered in Mr Malik’s expenses claim for his London home included £730 (€821) for a massage chair and £65 (€73) for a court summons for the non-payment of council tax.

He also tried to claim £2,600 (€2,900) for a home cinema system, although that was reduced to just over £1,000 (€1,125) by the Commons Fees Office.

He refused to return any of the money to the parliamentary authorities, but said he would donate the £1,050 he claimed for his television to worthy causes in his constituency.

MPs of all parties are now braced for a weekend backlash from constituents after the stream of revelations about their expenses and allowances claims.

Windows were smashed yesterday at the constituency office of Tory Bromsgrove MP Julie Kirkbride after it was revealed she and her husband, fellow Tory MP Andrew MacKay who quit as David Cameron’s Commons aide yesterday, both claimed the maximum second home expenses.