An MP who reportedly claimed £22,500 to treat dry rot at a property in Southampton 100 miles from her constituency said today she would pay back all monies claimed on the house.
Margaret Moran, Labour MP for Luton South, said she was repaying the full amount claimed for the house in St Denys that she shares with her partner as a result of ''constituents' anger at the current fees regime''.
The backbencher, who also has a home in her constituency, is alleged to have switched her second home status to the south coast property just days before the claim was made. She has stressed her claims were within Fees Office policy and she had done nothing wrong.
Ms Moran said in a statement today: ''I have at all times sought to serve my constituents in Luton South with honesty and integrity. I have always tried to act with decency and to do the right thing.
''The expenses currently in question were claimed in full consultation with the Fees Office in the House of Commons, and I have always followed their guidance and stuck to the rules.
''However, I do understand constituents' anger at the current fees regime, which is why I will be repaying the full amount claimed for my home in Southampton.''
She added: ''Contrary to some reports, this is neither a seaside, nor a holiday home, but a family home that I share with my partner.''
After revelations about her second home allowance surfaced at the weekend, the MP said her partner had worked in Southampton for 20 years and that she could not ''make him come to Luton all the time''.
She said: ''I have to have a proper family life and I can't do that unless I share the costs of the Southampton home with him.''
Ms Moran also insisted ''inaccuracies'' which were ''probably actionable'' existed in the Daily Telegraph reports about her claims, although she did not specify further.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel