MP repays thousands of pounds in expenses
MP Charlotte Atkins has repaid thousands of pounds in expenses.
The Staffordshire Moorlands MP claimed the money in the most recent financial year 2008/09, a period which this week's expenses publication does not cover.
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In a statement she would only say that she voluntarily chose to pay the money back after the Prime Minister changed the rules on what could be claimed for earlier this year.
Her statement said: "In advance of finalising my 2008/09 claims Gordon Brown created new rules.
"I decided to retrospectively apply them to the claim I had recently submitted."
The £10,226.50 which Mrs Atkins has now paid back does not cover earlier claims she made on her second home allowance recently revealed in The Sentinel.
For more on this story, see tomorrow's Sentinel.
6 Comments
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by John, Talke
Friday, June 19 2009, 7:30PM
“Community Payback - Residents to decide where offenders clean up? How about Charlotte Atkins back garden for starters. I'm not happy because the woman will get away with it because of her priveleged position. Shame!”
by Labyrinth, stoke
Friday, June 19 2009, 7:16PM
“Wow, just to be able to pay over £10,000 in an instant says she has too much money anyway so why did she ever need to let us pay for the work.
Strange how only the other day she was saying that she had done nothing wrong. More likely she knows that many of the claims are to be investigated by the Police. Looks like she's now scared of the consequences.”
by Voter, Staffordshire Moorlands
Friday, June 19 2009, 4:21PM
“I love the way all these politicians (from all parties) are all reaching for their cheque books whilst maintaining that they have "done nothing wrong". If they really are as innocent as they say, then why do they feel the need to pay money back?”
by T COPE, TUNSTALL
Friday, June 19 2009, 3:16PM
“Its ok if you make the rules, and screw the tax-payer for all he's got.
M Davies, and Steve, your comments are spot on.”
by M.Davies, Blythe Bridge
Friday, June 19 2009, 2:41PM
“I wonder if people of the likes of you and I would get the chance to pay it back if we had made a " Mistake " with VAT, TAX or a claim form for benefits. They have only paid a bit back because they have been found out. If nothing had been said about them and their expences they would still be taking us tax payers for a ride. They should be kicked out their positions and prosecuted”