Beckett's rivals urge her to come clean on expenses
POLITICAL opponents have piled the pressure on Derby MP Margaret Beckett to reveal if she has been asked to repay any expenses she claimed.
All MPs have received a letter from investigator Sir Thomas Legg telling them whether he thinks they should repay money for excessive or illegitimate claims.
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attacked: Mrs Beckett
MPs are under no obligation to disclose the contents of their letters, but many have decided to reveal what the former civil servant has asked them to do.
While Mrs Beckett confirmed she had received a letter from Sir Thomas, the Derby South MP has staunchly refused to disclose whether she is being asked to repay any money.
The Tory candidate who will fight her seat at the next election, Jack Pershcke, said: "It's typical of her approach to public office.
"For me the fact that she is hiding it is probably more of an affront to her voters than any of the conclusions that Sir Thomas could have reached in her letter."
Meanwhile, the Lib Dem candidate for her seat, David Batey, who sits on Derby City Council, said: "The expenses issue has totally destroyed trust in politicians, right down to council level – and not being open and hiding behind the rules doesn't help.
"Margaret Beckett has been an MP for a long time and she should know better."
Only one other county MP, Labour's member for High Peak Tom Levitt, has refused to reveal the contents of his letter.
Tory Derbyshire Dales MP Patrick McLoughlin was asked to hand back £4,058, claimed for cleaning and a mortgage, while Labour North East Derbyshire MP Natascha Engle may have to hand back around £1,900.
Derby North's Bob Laxton, South Derbyshire's Mark Todd and Amber Valley's Judy Mallaber have not been asked to make any repayments.
Erewash's Liz Blackman, Bolsover's Dennis Skinner and Chesterfield's Lib Dem MP Paul Holmes were not returning calls yesterday.
3 Comments
by Chris Wynn, Derby
Friday, October 16 2009, 12:17PM
“Margaret is a good MP who has served Derby South well for many years. To describe her as arrogant is an absolute travesty of the truth.
Unlike so many other MPs of ALL the political parties, she did not abuse the system in any way. She is entitled to her privacy and does not deserve these spiteful attacks.”
by Marcus, Arboretum
Thursday, October 15 2009, 1:10PM
“There is no doubting the arrogance of Mrs. Beckett, there is a real complaceny that she thinks she will cruise back into power!
No doubt we will start seeing her wandering around the inner cities for her 4 year cycle tour and pretensions that she actually cares!”
by Rams Fan, Oakwood
Thursday, October 15 2009, 8:49AM
“This is typical of the sheer affrontery of this woman!!
And we're supposed to refer to her as "the HONOURABLE member"?? She wouldn't know honour if she tripped over it.
One can only surmise she is wholly embarrassed by the contents of the letter which must demonstrate exactly how she's been milking the electorate she's supposed to be serving to line her own grubby pockets; and this from the "People's Party", the party of the working man?
Disgusting behaviour from this parasitic Parliamentarian, and typical of her tenure. Roll on the election so this wrong can be righted.”