THREE LABOUR MPs and a Tory peer will be charged with false accounting in relation to their parliamentary expenses, it was announced yesterday.
Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions for England and Wales, revealed that Elliot Morley, a former minister, David Chaytor, Jim Devine, and Lord Hanningfield, a former Conservative Party business spokesman, will be charged under the Theft Act.
Mr Morley, Mr Chaytor and Mr Devine are Labour MPs. Lord Hanningfield is a Conservative peer and leader of Essex county council.
Mr Starmer said the four would be charged with offences under section 17 of the Theft Act relating to false accounting.
The charges follow what he called a “careful and detailed” police investigation in the course of which the Crown Prosecution Service had reviewed the files carefully before deciding there was “sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges”.
He said the CPS had decided not to prosecute the Labour peer Lord Clarke of Hampstead because there was “insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of prosecution”.
A sixth parliamentarian is still under investigation, Mr Starmer said. He did not name the individual.
The announcement came at 11am yesterday, a day after the publication of a report showing that around half of MPs have been asked to repay a total of more than £1 million (€1.14 million) to the Commons authorities because some of their previous claims were deemed improper.
The police launched an investigation into several MPs following the revelations about parliamentary expenses published by the Daily Telegraph last year. It obtained a computer disc with full details of claims submitted by MPs, including information that the Commons authorities wanted to keep secret, and the publication of the Telegraph’s findings unleashed a wave of anger about the way the system has been abused.
Mr Morley is being charged in relation to mortgage claims worth about £30,000 (€34,337). Mr Chaytor is being charged in relation to claims worth about £20,000 (€22,890). Mr Devine is being charged in relation to claims worth about £8,000 (€9,150). Mr Hanningfield is being charged in relation to claims for overnight accommodation.
The four parliamentarians have been summoned to appear at Westminster magistrates court, London, on March 11th. The maximum sentence for false accounting under the Theft Act is seven years in prison.
Mr Morley, Mr Chaytor and Mr Devine issued a joint statement protesting about the CPS’s decision and insisting that the issue should have been dealt with by the parliamentary authorities, not the criminal courts.
In their statement they said: “We are clearly extremely disappointed that the DPP has decided to instigate proceedings against us. We totally refute any charges that we have committed an offence and we will defend our position robustly.
"We are confident of our position." – ( Guardianservice)