Davies: halt the expenses cheats

He’s £2 million worse off — but at least he’s honest, says Oldham Euro-MP Chris Davies, who is campaigning for a clampdown on expenses cheats in Brussels.

Mr Davies — who last year refused to be gagged and revealed details of a secret report by the EU auditors into expenses abuse — claims he may have lost more than £2 million over 10 years by refusing to bend the rules.

The Liberal Democrat Euro-MP is calling for the requirements on all British candidates to be toughened before the European elections in June.

A year ago, he leaked details of a secret report from the European Parliament’s auditors, revealing how the budget for the employment of staff was open to abuse. He was allowed to read it only in a sealed room without taking notes.

A national newspaper now says some Euro-MPs could pocket more than £1 million in a five year term, by exploiting lax rules on staff and travel expenses.

Mr Davies, who was elected in 1999, claimed that the majority of Euro-MPs used their staff budget honestly.

He said: “Honesty doesn’t pay in this system and the temptations are great. No-one knows who is cheating and who is not, and it is a disgrace that the Parliament has voted to keep auditors’ reports secret.

“The parliamentary salary, the pension rights, and the generous daily allowance for living in Brussels will give most MEPs a financial package similar to that of a doctor or dentist. That should be more than enough for anyone.

“Yet some Euro-MPs from some countries may have pocketed £2 million more than I have by observing the letter but not the spirit of the rules. I don’t want the cheats to get away with it.”

In June, the Conservative party dropped North-West Euro-MP Den Dover from its list of candidates after it was revealed that he had paid £758,000 in parliamentary expenses to a company owned by his wife and daughter.

In November, it was revealed that North West Conservative Euro-MP David Sumberg had been claiming £40,000 a year in office expenses despite living in London and having no office in the North-West. He will not be seeking re-election this year. From July, the rules will change and although Euro-MPs can still choose their assistants, and suggest what grade they get, they will be employed directly by the European Parliament.

Mr Davies says the reforms represent half a step forward: “New rules will make us better than the Italian Parliament but leave us a long way behind practices in the House of Commons.”