Police chief says inquiry into MPs' expenses may expand

Published on Monday 19 October 2009 21:57

MORE politicians could come under police investigation over fraudulent expenses.

Sir Paul Stephenson, the head of Scotland Yard, said the number of suspects could "change significantly at any time" as inquiries flush out more claims.

He declined to reveal how many parliamentarians were under scrutiny or when files might be passed to prosecutors.

But Sir Paul admitted that more MPs and peers could be referred to police as a result of the massive shake-up taking place.

He said his officers were focusing on a "handful" of individuals. Asked how many inquiries were under way, Sir Paul said: "It is a handful, more single figures than double figures.

"I have got to be careful because it does not seem that we are at the end, and we could have more people being referred.

As a torrent of evidence of dubious claims flooded out of Westminster, police focused on individuals who claimed so-called "phantom mortgages."

Among them is former Labour minister Elliot Morley, who claimed 16,000 in interest payments on a property where the loan was already paid off.

It emerged that he claimed about 800 a month in mortgage interest on his Scunthorpe home for about 18 months after the loan was repaid.

Other politicians believed to be under police investigation include the Labour MP David Chaytor and the Labour peer Baroness Uddin.