Former Labour MP Denis MacShane behaved in a “deeply reprehensive” way in abusing expenses rules, the government said yesterday.
MPs formally endorsed a report condemning Mr MacShane for false expense claims filed between 2005 and 2008 – and backed a one-year suspension despite the former Foreign Office minister quitting the Commons on Monday.
Leader of the House Andrew Lansley said the decision would demonstrate Parliament was willing to act against its members who broke the rules.
He told MPs the offences detailed in the report were the “gravest case” examined by the Standards and Privileges Committee.
Labour MP Michael Connarty (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) said there was a case of “double standards” because the Liberal Democrat David Laws was “quite clearly guilty” of wrongly claiming £60,000, but returned to the Cabinet.