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Legal Aid Given To Expense MPs “Will Be Repaid”
The expenses scandal was a horrific PR blow to the government and it has been dragged out by three remaining MPs who refuse to pay back their false claims. They first attempted to use parliamentary immunity, which failed, and now they are now facing court. They plan to use legal aid paid for by the tax payer to defend themselves, a move that was condemned by Prime Minister Gordon Brown who declared they will have to pay back the costs.
Political commentators have noted it as a move by Brown to be seen to have a firm stance against expenses fraud in the lead up to the general election, but some legal experts have noted that there may be issues as it is a legal right to aid when defending oneself in court.
Through a series of false mortgage applications, rent claims and service invoices the three MPs reportedly stole over 60,000. But this is a fraction of the cost of preparing their defence which is likely to run into six figures at an optimistic estimate. This cost could spiral however if the MPs manage to have the case thrown to the Supreme Court.
Jack Straw, Justice Secretary said the government was now introducing reforms to implicate means-tested legal aid although it would not be implemented in time for the MPs cases. For this case, Brown argued that the law has changed and although these changes will not take affect until June, it is just cause for the MPs to pay back the money.
Analysts have estimated the cost of the case to be in the region of 3million and the investigation has so far cost Scotland Yard over 500,000. Trials will begin at Southwark Crown Court in London on May 27th. A spokesman for the court has confirmed that the MPs were granted an application for legal aid with which they hired high priced lawyers that cost hundreds of pounds an hour. If found guilty, the MPs could face up to seven years in prison for stealing taxpayers money.
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