Binley faces questions on expenses
Wednesday, 17 June 2009 12:00 AM
By politics.co.uk staff
Tory MP Brian Binley has insisted he acted honestly after questions were raised about his use of expenses to rent a flat from his own company.
The Telegraph has claimed the Northampton South MP made the claims - totalling £50,000 - despite rules on MPs renting homes from firms in which they have an interest.
Mr Binley then spent two years appealing against the ban while making the claims.
According to the Telegraph, the flat was bought by BCC marketing, which Mr Binley is the chairman of, in 2005. He moved in a year later and claimed £1,500 a month for rent.
The rules changed two months later and he began his appeal, arguing it was wrong to break his contractual obligation with BCC.
Today, Mr Bingley said he would not allow the Telegraph to "bring him down" and argued that it cost the taxpayer an extra £2,000 to £3,000 for the new flat.
The new focus comes as Labour MP for Livingstone Jim Devine was barred from standing at the nest election by the party's internal committee.
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