Tories will pay back 'wrong' claims
Shadow cabinet members are to pay back thousands of pounds in "excessive" expense claims, David Cameron has announced.
The Conservative leader said a new scrutiny panel will be set up to assess all "excessive" expense claims by Tory MPs and where necessary order them to be repaid.
Any who refuse to return the cash will be stripped of the Tory whip and expelled from the parliamentary party, he told a Westminster news conference.
He said when he heard about claims for moats and swimming pools he was appalled. "I don't care if they were within the rules, they were wrong," he said.
Mr Cameron also said that he would be returning his sole maintenance payment as he set out plans to crack down on the allowances of Tory MPs.
Earlier, it emerged that Scotland Yard was considering inquiries into the expenses of at least six MPs - including the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Among those in the spotlight are Cabinet members Chancellor Alistair Darling, Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon and Minister for London Tony McNulty.
The remaining three complaints are believed to be backbenchers whose spending was highlighted in the media over the weekend.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police's Specialist Crime Directorate have received written complaints about at least half a dozen Parliamentarians.
