Tory expenses refunds hit £260k as Cameron vows to 'fix political system'

CONSERVATIVE MPs lined up to pay back nearly £125,000 to taxpayers in "mis-claimed" expenses yesterday, as party leader David Cameron tried to revive his parliamentarians' tarnished reputations.

Nearly half the Tory MPs at Westminster – 86 out of 195 – have now repaid allowances, bringing the total given back to almost £260,000. Mr Cameron said his party was making up for past mistakes and trying to restore faith in the politics.

"This is just one step that needs to be taken to restore both some trust and some faith in the political system," he said.

Tory sources said there were still a "handful" of outstanding expenses cases, but 186 had so far been resolved.

The biggest single sum repaid was £25,000 by shadow justice minister Eleanor Laing – with no details given of what the claim or claims had originally been for.

The MP for Epping Forest had not previously repaid any cash to Commons authorities, according to the list supplied by the Conservatives.

She had, however, been at the centre of a storm over capital gains tax when it was revealed she made a reported £1 million profit on the sale of a second home, which she had "flipped" to her main residence.

The MP purchased a flat in 1993, for a figure reported to be around £300,000. She brought a neighbouring flat in 2003 for £465,000 and converted them into one property. She sold her Westminster flats for around £1.8 million last year.

Mr Cameron unveiled the new list of MPs paying back money yesterday after a meeting with the party's scrutiny panel.

An additional 40 Tory MPs were named, on top of those who had already repaid similar amounts. Meanwhile, other Tory MPs confirmed they would no longer claim the second home allowance. This will save taxpayers more than £108,000, Tory sources said.

Mr Cameron praised his MPs, saying: "Conservative MPs have responded in a positive way and shown a real desire to take the lead on this damaging issue. It is an effort – both collectively as a party and individually as Conservative MPs – to address the public's anger about what has happened."

But Mr Cameron was accused of being disproportionately tough on Tory "grandees" while being lenient on MPs in his inner circle, who have also been embroiled in the expenses controversy, including shadow chancellor George Osborne and Tory whip Bill Wiggin.

Labour back-bencher John Mann said: "While backbenchers and veteran MPs bear the brunt of these repayments, it looks like those close to Cameron – close friends like Osborne and Wiggin or former aide Andrew MacKay – are being given a free pass."

The Tories said nine MPs, including former leader Iain Duncan Smith, who lives on the border of London, party grandee Michael Ancram, and former Cabinet ministers John Gummer and John Redwood, had voluntarily agreed to forgo all or part of any future second home allowance claims.

WHAT THEY'RE PAYING BACK

Some of the Tory repayments of expenses:

• Michael Ancram – gardening, repairs/maintenance, swimming pool – £1,133.25
• James Arbuthnot – gardening, household, swimming pool – £9,338.77
• Simon Burns – rent/mortgage – £2,924
• John Butterfill – other – £14,478
• Bill Cash – rent/mortgage – £15,000
• James Clappison – gardening – £3,100
• Stephen Crabb – stamp duty – £9,300
• David TC Davies – various – £2,033.87
• Liam Fox – other – £140.62
• John Gummer – gardening, household – £11,538.10
• Charles Hendry – household, other – £325.18
• Mark Hoban – household – £613.10
• Gerald Howarth – gardening, household, repairs/maintenance – £2,000
• Bernard Jenkin – gardening – £659.17
• Daniel Kawczynski – household – £200
• Julie Kirkbride – household – £701.04
• Eleanor Laing – other – £25,000
• Peter Luff – household, repairs/maintenance – £3,700
• Michael Spicer – repairs/maintenance, gardening – £4,700.60
• Anthony Steen – repairs/maintenance, gardening – £1,537.93
• Peter Viggers – gardening, repairs/maintenance – £10,000