Burnley MP says she won't pay back expenses (From Burnley and Pendle Citizen)

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Burnley MP says she won't pay back expenses

10:00am Thursday 14th May 2009 in News

AN EAST Lancashire MP who has been caught up in the parliamentary expenses furore says there is “no question” of her repaying her claims.

Kitty Ussher, who represents Burnley, said all the costs she had been given had been within the rules.

At the weekend it was revealed Ms Ussher had submitted a wish-list of improvements to her London home in a letter to Commons authorities.

On the cover sheet of her letter, she was said to have scrawled: “I am aware this takes us over our limit – please pay as much as you are able!”

The details came after a national newspaper purchased a breakdown of MPs’ expenses, sparking a furious backlash amid claims for broken swimming pools, tennis courts and allegations of “flipping” between second homes to cover the cost of redecorations.

Conservative leader David Cameron has told some of the worst offenders in the Tories’ ranks to pay back parts of their claims.

And yesterday health minister Phil Hope joined a growing number of MPs when he announced he would repay more than £41,000 he had claimed for the second home allowance because the revelations had caused a “massive blow” to his integrity.

Communities secretary Hazel Blears also said she was responding to public “outrage and the anger” by paying £13,332 in capital gains tax (CGT).

So far, none of East Lancashire’s MPs have offered to pay any of their second home allowance - except for Blackburn MP Jack Straw who accidentally claimed too much in council tax.

Yesterday Ms Ussher said: “I made clear over the weekend I am totally confident the claims I submitted were entirely legitimate. The question of repayment does not arise.”

She added: “I think it’s really important that the public has confidence that taxpayers’ money is being spent appropriately.

“That’s why the Committee on Standards in Public Life urgently needs to make its recommendations about the best system for MPs’ expenses.

“I will, and always have, gone to great lengths to ensure that I comply 100 per cent with the rules that Parliament decides.”

Ms Ussher has owned the Brixton home since 2000, before she became an MP in 1997, and used to rent it out, living there when she was in London.

After details of her letter were revealed at the weekend, she told the Lancashire Telegraph the house had been in a “dilapidated state” and said she had “effectively moved to Burnley long before becoming a parliamentary candidate in 2004.”

Comments(28)

mpmorley says...
10:17am Thu 14 May 09

Of course the expenses were within the rules,but are they morally right,Artex?
Come on everybody,you don't have to vote for these people,you can go along and write "protest" across the ballot papers.It will not be a waste,it will show these people what we think.
She knew how to play the game,because her Uncle is also an MP,he will have put her straight on what to do.
Nepotism rules O.K.