CTindex - Christian Today UK Interactive Catalogue
Society

Family payment Tory MP faces Commons vote

The Conservative MP at the centre of a storm for paying his son almost 50,000 pounds of public money for doing nothing faces a Commons vote on Thursday which is almost certain to suspend him for 10 days.

Posted: Thursday, January 31, 2008, 10:19 (GMT)
Font Scale:A A A

The Conservative MP at the centre of a storm for paying his son almost 50,000 pounds of public money for doing nothing faces a Commons vote on Thursday which is almost certain to suspend him for 10 days.

Derek Conway, 54, who could also face a police investigation, said on Wednesday he will quit politics at the next election.

Conservative leader David Cameron expelled Conway from the parliamentary party on Tuesday.

Conway said he would stand down as he did not want to be a "distraction".

He says his son had been acting as his researcher while at university and that the money had been paid in salary to him.

But the Commons standards committee found his son had done little or no work for him and recommended he be suspended from parliament for 10 days and repay more than 13,000 pounds.

MPs will vote on that recommendation and are widely expected to approve it.

Frederick Conway, 22, a Newcastle University geography student was paid almost 12,000 pounds a year, plus bonuses, for almost three years.

Leaked documents also show Conway's elder son, Henry, 25, had been paid more than 32,000 pounds in parliamentary allowances and bonuses between 2001 and 2004 when he too was an undergraduate.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed it had received a letter from Liberal Democrat Duncan Borrowman, who is contending Conway's seat, asking them to investigate whether fraud had been committed.

On Monday, Conway apologised in the Commons for his "administrative shortcomings and misjudgements".



© Reuters 2008. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters.
Have your say on this article
Light for Last Days
Google Advertisement
Externally generated - Report offensive links here
Methodist Insurance
World Headline
Christian groups respond to deadly flood in Brazil

Christian groups respond to deadly flood in Brazil

Christian relief groups are on the ground helping victims of a flood being labelled the “worst environmental...
Sponsored Features
Give a disadvantaged young person a brighter future this Christmas. Order books for all ages commending the free and sovereign grace of Almighty God.
01582 765448 For holidays and retreats in the Scottish borders. Whitchester Christian Guest House 01450 377 477 Friendly printing company for churches, charities and businesses nationwide!
Sanct Maria Abbey, NUNRAW
Cistercian Monastery and Guest House
Bookings: 01620 830 228
Email: nunraw.abbot@yahoo.co.uk
Google Advertisement
Externally generated - Report offensive links here