Labour kicks out Barnsley MP Eric Illsley over expenses charges

A YORKSHIRE MP accused of dishonestly claiming more than £20,000 in expenses was charged with false accounting and suspended from the Labour Party today.

MPs' expenses: Full coverage

Eric Illsley, who represents Barnsley Central, is accused of making false claims over three years for expenses on his second home in London.

He is the fifth politician to face criminal charges after the expenses scandal last year, and will appear at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 17.

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Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said: "Having thoroughly reviewed a file of evidence we received from the Metropolitan Police on March 30 this year, we concluded that there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to bring criminal charges against Eric Illsley MP.

"Mr Illsley faces three charges under section 17 of the Theft Act 1968 for false accounting."

It is alleged that Mr Illsley dishonestly claimed expenses for council tax, maintenance, insurance and utilities at his second home in Renfrew Road, Kennington, south London, between May 2005 and April 2008.

A Labour Party spokesman said: "The Labour Party's general secretary has issued Eric Illsley with a suspension following the CPS's announcement of criminal charges against him.

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"As a result, Eric Illsley has been suspended from the Whip and cannot attend any Labour Party meeting. This was felt necessary in light of the criminal charges."

There was no answer at the front door at Mr Illsley's home in a quiet street in Barnsley this afternoon, and no sign of him at his Labour Party office in the centre of the town.

Former home secretary Alan Johnson told Sky News: "I'm very sad that another Member of Parliament is going before the courts but that's what needs to happen if the public prosecutor, the CPS, decides that this is a criminal issue. It's right that it proceeds to court."

He said that Mr Illsley and the other politicians facing charges were "innocent until proven guilty", and added: "It is a hangover from last year, not something new, that's part of the same expenses scandal that was so appalling, so depressing."

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Three former Labour MPs and a suspended Tory peer have already been charged over their expense claims.

Tory Peer Lord Hanningfield is accused of making false claims for travel allowances.

David Chaytor, 60, of Todmorden, Lancashire, is accused of falsely claiming rent on a London flat he owned, falsely filing invoices for IT work and renting a property from his mother, against regulations.

Elliot Morley, 57, of Winterton, North Lincolnshire, allegedly falsely claimed 30,428 in interest payments between 2004 and 2007 towards a mortgage on his home which he had already paid off.

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Jim Devine, 56, of Bathgate, West Lothian, is said to have wrongly submitted two invoices worth a total of 5,505 for services provided by Armstrong Printing Limited.

He also faced a second charge alleging that he dishonestly claimed cleaning and maintenance costs of 3,240 by submitting false invoices from Tom O'Donnell Hygiene and Cleaning Services.

A row erupted last month when the three former MPs were granted legal aid to defend themselves. At the time David Cameron branded the decision "an outrage".