BURNLEY MP Kitty Ussher has come under fire after declining to reveal details of her expenses audit letter.
Other East Lancashire MPs have already revealed the contents of the letter, left in their Westminster pigeonholes to ask for clarifications, request extra payments or to say everything is in order.
However, Mrs Ussher said the correspondence was only ‘preliminary’ and that she was waiting for findings to be finalised before discussing them.
She said: “I have received the letter. What I am saying publicly is that I will of course pay any monies owed when the preliminary findings become a final report.”
When news of the expenses row broke, the Burnley and Padiham MP was heavily criticised amid claims she had avoided capital gains tax by changing which was designated as her main home.
She was also said to have claimed for DIY repairs, including covering up old fashioned artex ceilings.
She later resigned tax minister, shortly before announcing she would stand down as an MP at the next election for family reasons.
Burnley council leader Gordon Birtwistle criticised Mrs Ussher’s stance.
He said: “She’s creating a situation where people will think worse of her than if she just said it straight out.
"People will be quite angry that she hasnt been as forthright as other MPs.
"It’s her decison, but I think it is a mistake because it’s public money and people will want to know.”
But Hyndburn MP Greg Pope has revealed that auditors are satisfied with his expenses as he has not been asked to pay any money back.
Mr Pope said: “I welcome the Legg Inquiry and I will certainly co-operate fully with it.
“I think just about all MPs will have to pay something back in order to begin to satisfy public anger at the scandal but, at the same time, MPs should be treated fairly on the rules which were in place at the time.”
Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson and Pendle MP Gordon Prentice were unavailable for comment.
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