THE EU:The leader of the British Conservatives in the European Parliament, Giles Chichester, said yesterday he had resigned after questions about his expenses.
"I have today decided to resign as leader of the Conservative MEPs," he said in an e-mailed statement.
"I apologise once again for the fact that I have been in breach of the parliamentary rules. I wish to allow myself the space to prepare my report to the parliamentary authorities and demonstrate that monies were properly spent and accounted for."
Mr Chichester represents the southwest of England and Gibraltar and has been chairman of the EU Parliamentary Assembly's 28-strong British Conservatives since November 2007.
Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper reported on Tuesday that Tory Party leader David Cameron has asked Chichester to account for £445,000 (€559,000) allowances he received as an MEP that was paid to his family firm where he is a paid director since 1996.
Despite its increasing sway in drafting laws, the assembly has often struggled to be taken seriously by the public.
Sceptics have portrayed it as a "gravy train", with several reports over the years exposing abuse of MEPs' expenses. In February, the EU's anti-fraud unit said it would scrutinise an internal parliament report into how lawmakers pay staff to see whether there was abuse of public funds.
Mr Chichester is also a past chairman of the assembly's influential industry committee.
He is son of yachtsman Francis Chichester who was the first person to sail solo around the globe between 1966 and 1967.
The assembly's British Conservatives will hold an election for a new leader. - (Reuters)