Davies sickened by expenses ‘greed’

Chris Davies has demanded an investigation into claims that a fellow North-West Euro-MP has failed to pay back £500,000 of “unjustified” expenses.

Den Dover was kicked out of the Conservatives for gross misconduct by leader David Cameron after it was revealed that, for more than seven years, he had paid staff expenses worth £758,000 to a company owned by his wife and daughter.

Mr Dover (71), one of nine Euro-MPs who represent the North-West in Brussels, was asked to pay back £500,000. There are now concerns that the European Parliament may not be able to recover the money.

It’s been reported that Mr Dover will also be entitled to six months’ pay, worth up to £79,000 with allowances, and a full pension worth up to £35,000 a year, when he steps down on 7 May.

Lib-Dem Euro-MP Mr Davies, blew the whistle on expense abuses last year. He has written to the head of the European Parliament’s administration, Secretary-General Klause Welle, demanding to know what action is being taken to recover all of the money.
He said: “If a member of the public were to falsely claim social security payments they could face a prison sentence.

“By contrast, a vast sum is involved in this case yet the reaction seems to be one of great complacency.

“My questions are simple. I want to know what is being done to get our money back and why Den Dover is still being allowed to speak and vote in the Parliament.

“I am sickened by the greed of those whose actions drag down the reputation of everyone in politics. The Parliament has to crack down firmly on abuses of this kind and also has to be seen to do so.”

Mr Dover has denied any wrong-doing over the payments but has refused to discuss the question of repayment.

He used a family-owned company, MP Holdings, as the “service provider” for secretarial and parliamentary assistance work, carried out by his wife and daughter, and paid for by the parliament.