Whip 'will not be sacked' in expenses row

A Government whip who was ordered to apologise and repay more than £4,000 after a "serious" breach of expenses rules will not be sacked, Prime Minister David Cameron's spokesman said yesterday.

Westminster’s sleaze watchdog ruled on Thursday it was “more likely than not” that Tory Bill Wiggin’s claims for telephone, utilities, service and maintenance were unjustified.

But MPs accepted that “chaotic” arrangements were to blame for him also claiming second-home expenses against his main residence and that the taxpayer had not lost out as a result.

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“The Prime Minister’s position is that he is staying in his job,” the spokesman told reporters.

He insisted the findings that the second home mix-up was “unintended” meant there was no contradiction with Mr Cameron’s pledge last year the MP would be “out of the door” if found guilty.

“A report has been made that asked that he apologise and pay a sum of money back and he is doing that,” the spokesman explained.

“What the Prime Minister was saying was in relation to phantom mortgages. He (Mr Wiggin) has been cleared on that issue.”

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The repayment and apology demand was issued by the Commons Standards and Privileges Committee after a probe lasting nearly a year into Mr Wiggin – a contemporary of David Cameron’s at Eton – by Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards John Lyon.