LONDON – British prime minister Gordon Brown was accused of being out of touch on the expenses scandal yesterday after Labour withdrew the party whip from the three MPs being prosecuted.
Tory leader David Cameron described the move, three days after the charges were announced, as a “humiliating” U-turn by the prime minister.
Labour insisted the suspension of David Chaytor, Elliot Morley and Jim Devine followed a review undertaken “immediately” after it became clear on Friday they were facing trial.
Aides to Mr Cameron pointed out he removed the Tory whip from Lord Hanningfield within a couple of hours of the Conservative peer’s charges being announced at the same time.
Mr Cameron used a speech to blame the prime minister of helping to create the culture that resulted in the collapse of public confidence in politics.
“Now I gather, in a humiliating change, they have actually withdrawn the Labour whip from all three of those MPs. They are now in a headlong retreat,” he said.
“The last 24 hours, I believe, have shown the instincts of the Conservative Party, when it comes to this issue about expenses, are in tune with the public mood, are in the right place, and Labour’s are not.”
But the Conservative leader also faced criticism for his outspoken attack on the three MPs’ attempts to avoid prosecution by citing parliamentary privilege. Labour figures suggested Mr Cameron risked prejudicing court proceedings.
Separately, Commons speaker John Bercow ordered MPs, under sub judice rules, to avoid any reference to the cases in the House. Mr Chaytor, Mr Morley, Mr Devine and Lord Hanningfield are all charged with counts of false accounting in their expenses claims.
They will appear at City of Westminster magistrates’ court on March 11th. If found guilty, they could face jail sentences of up to seven years.
In a statement, Labour said the party’s general secretary, Ray Collins, had temporarily suspended the MPs pending the legal proceedings.
Mr Cameron yesterday criticised the possibility of Labour MPs claiming parliamentary privilege as a defence, saying the move provoked “disgust”.
He has asked shadow leader of the house, Sir George Young, to draft a parliamentary privilege Act that would clarify the rules and prevent the principle being misused.
Downing Street said the government would also legislate to clarify the situation if it proved necessary. – (PA)