Three MPs and peer charged over their expenses

The veteran Scunthorpe MP – who has already been forced to announce he will quit at the next election – will face two charges over allegations he wrongly claimed more than 30,000 in second-home allowances.

Fellow Labour backbenchers David Chaytor and Jim Devine are also facing several charges, along with Lord Hanningfield, who was forced to quit as a shadow business spokesman and stripped of the Tory whip.

Last night all four denied any wrongdoing and said they would defend their positions robustly. In a joint statement, the MPs insisted the issue should be dealt with by Parliamentary authorities rather than the courts.

The dramatic developments came a day after more than half of MPs were ordered to repay money to the Commons authorities after an independent audit of five years' worth of claims.

Following a nine-month investigation, Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said there was enough evidence to charge the four with offences under the Theft Act which carry a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

He said the charges followed a "careful and detailed" police investigation, and the men would appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on March 11, only weeks before the General Election campaign is likely to start.

Mr Morley, who was an Environment Minister under Tony Blair and chairman of a Commons select committee until the allegations over his expenses emerged, faces two charges of theft by false accounting. He is accused of "dishonestly" over-claiming 14,428 on his constituency home in Winterton between April 2004 and February 2006, and then claiming 16,000 on the same property between March 2006 and November 2007 when there was no longer a mortgage on it.

Mr Chaytor, the Bury North MP who lives in Todmorden and twice fought the Calder Valley seat for Labour before 1997, is accused of three charges including "dishonestly" claiming 1,950 for IT services by using false invoices and claiming 18,350 relating to rent on properties owned by him or his mother.

Livingston MP Jim Devine faces charges of using false invoices to claim 3,240 for cleaning services and 5,505 for stationery.

Lord Hanningfield will be charged with six offences alleging he made "numerous" claims for overnight expenses in London despite records showing he was driven home and did not stay in the capital.

Mr Starmer said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute Lord Clarke of Hampstead, while investigations are continuing in a sixth case.

In a joint statement, the three MPs said they were "clearly extremely disappointed" at the charges but pledged to co-operate fully.

"We totally refute any charges that we have committed an offence and we will defend our position robustly. We are confident of our position and have been advised by eminent QCs," they said.

"We maintain that this is an issue that should be resolved by the Parliamentary commissioner who is there to enforce any breach of the rules."

They added that the expenses system had been discredited but believed there was a complete inconsistency of approach to different individual cases."

Lord Hanningfield said: "I totally refute the charges and will vigorously defend myself against them. I have never claimed more in expenses than I have spent in the course of my duties."

On Thursday it was revealed that 390 MPs had been asked to repay 1.3m following the audit of their expenses, although 44 won or partially won their appeals. More than half of Yorkshire MPs are repaying money.