Under-fire MP slams 'Harry Potter' house ban allegation

Published on Friday 20 November 2009 21:46

THE head of the Commons committee that deals with MPs' expenses abuse dismissed as "akin to Harry Potter" an allegation that his wife banned him from the constituency home.

Tory MP David Curry admitted having an affair but defended his record on expenses after being forced to stand down pending an inquiry.

Mr Curry is facing allegations that he claimed almost 30,000 towards the cost of a property that, it was claimed, his wife does not allow him to use.

But he said yesterday he had been spending more time with his wife of 38 years to patch up their relationship.

Speaking at his family home in Saffron Waldon, Essex, he said: "My wife has not banned me from anything. I had an affair, there is no denying that. We got over it.

"If you were repairing your relationship with someone, you would want to spend as much time with them as possible."

On expenses, the MP for Skipton and Ripon added: "My expenses are very modest, completely above board. I am the second cheapest MP in Yorkshire."

It was claimed yesterday that Mr Curry's wife demanded he did not use the cottage in his Yorkshire constituency after she discovered five years ago that he was having an affair.

Challenged over the allegation, he said: "That's akin to Harry Potter. I have stayed in it hundreds, if not thousands, of times. I have had it since 1987, I have not bought it on a speculative whim."

After the claims emerged, he referred his case to Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards John Lyon, whose reports are passed to the standards and privileges committee – of which Mr Curry was elected chairman last month – to recommend punishment where necessary.

Mr Curry said he was willing to share any information with the parliamentary commissioner, adding: "I am not expecting to end up in the Tower of London."