Devine blames Labour whips over expenses charge

Investigations are underway at Westminster after Labour whips were drawn into the expenses scandal by one of the party’s three MPs currently facing criminal charges.

Jim Devine, MP for Livingston,  spent much of last week protesting his innocence to various media organisations. Charged with two counts of theft by false accounting, Devine has claimed that he has been “hung out to dry” by his party after merely “moving money around”.

He has also claimed that his actions were not only encouraged by fellow MPs but tacitly approved by an unnamed Labour whip.

Devine could face up to seven years in prison if found guilty of either of the theft charges brought against him. They relate to claims of £3,240 for cleaning services between July 2008 and April 2009 and a further £5,505 in March 2009 for stationery equipment. Prosecutors claim that both sums were dishonestly obtained through false invoices.

In a joint statement along with David Chaytor, MP for Bury North and Elliot Morley, MP for Scunthorpe, Mr Devine denied the charges brought against him and expressed disappointment that the issue would be brought to court rather than resolved within Parliament.

Though an internal investigation is reportedly underway to identify Mr Devine’s anonymous whip, the Labour Party has been quick to publicly distance itself from the alleged misdemeanours of its MPs, particularly after it emerged that lawyers for the trio may be seeking to use parliamentary privilege to avoid trial.

A Labour Party spokesperson told The Journal that while they could not fully comment while the legal process is ongoing, decisive action had been taken against the three MPs.

“The Labour Party has already barred Elliot Morley, David Chaytor and Jim Devine from standing as Labour candidates at the next election and has taken the toughest action on expenses of any political party.

"The Labour Government has swept away the old, discredited expenses system and introduced a new transparent regime.

“The Labour Party has zero-tolerance for criminal behaviour and will take the strongest possible disciplinary action against any party member found guilty of breaking the law.”

Speaking outside his constituency home, Mr Devine insisted that the correct receipts were submitted in relation to his claim for cleaning services. While admitting funds were moved from one budget to another in order to cover his stationery expenses he has claimed that this amounts to “common practice” at Westminster.

Gordon Brown confirmed that the party whip would be withdrawn from the three MPs, effectively suspending them from the party. Home Secretary Alan Johnson also spoke out on Alan Marr’s BBC show to insist that there would be no “get out of jail free” card for the MPs involved in the charges.

The three Labour MPs will appear before City of Westminster magistrates on 11 March along with Tory peer Lord Hanningfield.